Friday 27 November 2015

Wandering: A Common Problem For Those With Dementia

By Rue Nichols


Whether your loved one with dementia lives at home or at a facility for assisted living in San Diego, wandering can be a scary problem. There are many reasons why people with dementia wander away, and there are also several ways to help reduce the likelihood of this frightening problem.

There are typically two big contributing factors to wandering in people with Alzheimer's or any type of dementia. The first is confusion about their surroundings as well as time and place. The second factor is restlessness, which is a common problem among those with dementia. Many people mistakenly believe that their loved one will be less confused living at home than at a community for assisted living in San Diego, but often your loved one will not recognize their home or believe that they actual should be in a home in which they lived previously.

It doesn't matter whether your family member with dementia lives at a facility for assisted living in San Diego or in their private home; there are ways to keep them as safe as possible. If they do tend to wander, it can be wise to make sure that they have a medical identification bracelet or pin as well as a purse or wallet with identification. Sewing a patch of fabric into the inside of a jacket also can help. You can use fabric pens to write the person's name, as well as the phone number of a family member or friend.

Nighttime can be a particularly difficult and confusing time of day for people with any type of dementia. Often a person will have trouble sleeping and be up pacing the floor or become agitated as the sun goes down, and this increases the likelihood of wandering. Creating a busy, but stress-free schedule for your loved one can help. This will include planned mealtimes and an early dinner hour, as well as some type of exercise as well as a few engaging activities. These activities don't have to be difficult. It could include working on a puzzle, sweeping the back porch, folding laundry, setting the table and helping wash dishes. Exercise might be a short walk with the family dog or perhaps a swim class or some light dancing, it all depends on their physical abilities. At the end of a full day with plenty of activities, it can be easy for someone to fall into a solid, deep sleep.

If wandering becomes a common problem, it might be time to consider taking more drastic measures. For instance, you can apply child-safety devices on doors and windows to make it difficult to leave the home. Talk to your neighbors and explain the situation and ask them to give you a call if they see your loved one leaving the home. When you get to the point where you constantly are worried about safety, it might be time to consider moving your loved one into a home for assisted living in San Diego.

While people with dementia still have been known to wander away from assisted living in San Diego, generally it is the safest possible solution. In addition, the assisted living apartments and all activities are set up with the memory care resident in mind. Staff members are trained to accommodate the special needs of those with dementia and there is always a staff member available at any time day or night. An eldercare placement service, such as Care Placement, can help you find a suitable facility for assisted living in San Diego county with accommodations designed for those with dementia.




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