When you get lost, you have three built-in aids to help you find your way. You have your short term and long term memory to help you identify landmarks, etc. and you have a sense of time and distance. But people suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease have lost the ability to utilize these methods of relating themselves to their surroundings. Thus wandering has an added significance for a person with AD and if you are a caregiver you need to be extra vigilant.
Most patients with AD wander for a variety of reasons including boredom, frustration, restlessness and confusion, and sometimes certain medications have a side-effect of wandering. Some patients seem to be randomly looking for an abstract phenomenon, such as their childhood home or long-deceased parent. Others seem to have a goal, and keep constantly busy completing a never-ending activity. Some wander only in the daytime, others get up in the night. This puts extra strain on you as the caregiver if your affected parent or spouse is living with you at home, especially if you live in a winter city and your loved one gets outside while you try to get a much-needed good night’s sleep.
Most cities, states and provinces have Safe Return registries where you can notify authorities that you have a wanderer living with you. Check with the local Alzheimer’s Association or Society in your area, and if no registry service exists, at least let the police know. Purchasing an identification bracelet and ensuring your loved one has it on at all times is imperative.
Watch for a pattern of wandering as it’s often restricted to a particular time of day that you will need to be extra vigilant. Keep your loved one busy with movies or music, or even word games if he or she is still capable. Loud noises or voices can upset people with AD as well, so try and keep your surroundings quiet and peaceful. Frequent massages have been noted to be effective in reducing wandering.
With today’s technology, it’s possible to get sensors installed that detect movement and you will be alerted when your loved one leaves his or her room or the house. And keep windows and doors locked, with a deadbolt, and keys stored out of sight.
Even more difficult than dealing with wandering, is accepting the loss of memory. The day will come when your loved one will forget who you are and you will be saddened. For more information on dealing with memory loss and this new phase in your relationship, read http://www.lestout.com/article/parenting-family/caregiving/forgiving-the-forgetting.HTML
You will likely try to keep your AD patient living at home with you as long as possible, but do prepare yourself for the day when you are unable to care for him or her and placing your loved one in an extended care facility with a secure unit is necessary. In the meantime, make sure you look after yourself and that you get respite regularly so you can continue to pursue your own interests and activities.
