For some patients who develop dementia, wandering can become a serious concern as the disease progresses. Providing 24-hour home care is essential to ensure their safety and well-being during this stage of the disease.
Why Dementia Patients Wander
Not everyone with dementia will experience a desire to wander, and the exact causes are still unclear. Often, the person may not fully understand why they feel the need to wander—they just know they should.
Wandering can happen anytime, whether on a trip to the store, from the backyard during the day, or even in the middle of the night. This is why 24-hour home care can be essential to ensure their safety and provide constant supervision.
Some potential triggers for wandering may include:
- A new change to his daily routine or an unexpected outing.
- Responding to something they see or hear in the distance.
- Forgetting what instructions they were given, such as “wait in the car while I go inside.”
- Feeling agitated or anxious about something.
- Looking for something they feel they have misplaced.
- A desire to “go home” even though they are home (or living with you).
Precursors to Wandering
If your loved one hasn’t wandered off yet, but you are wondering if you should worry about it happening, there are often actions dementia patients take before their first wandering event that can warn you of its possibility.
- They have a hard time relaxing and often pace around the home or in and out of rooms.
- They keep stating that they need to be somewhere else, such as “I need to go home,” “I need to get to work,” or they think someone needs them.
- They begin to get lost in their own home, not able to find rooms or understand which doors open up to what areas.
- They forget to go inside when they are outside.
Tips to Keep Your Loved One Safe
You can take steps to reduce the risk of your loved one wandering off, especially if they require 24-hour home care. At home, you can install locks on doors and windows, hide car keys, and keep areas well-lit to minimize confusion.
Keeping your loved one active during the day can help reduce pent-up energy, while maintaining a set schedule and ensuring they get enough sleep each night can also provide added stability and security.
24-Hour Home Care Can Help Protect Your Loved One
If you are unable to be with your loved one around the clock, you might find that a 24-hour home care team can be of great service and prevent you from having to have your loved one move into a memory care unit. A 24-hour home care team will have someone stay in the home with your loved one 24 hours a day, but not live in the home.
Because it is a rotating shift of 24-hour home care providers, someone is always awake and alert at all hours of the day and night. That way, if your loved one wakes up in the middle of the night, confused, and begins to try to wander off, he’ll have someone there, ready to gently assist him back to bed. It can give you peace of mind that your loved one is safe and allow you to sleep better at night.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Campbell, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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