Reasons for Wandering

A person with Alzheimer's disease may wander for a variety of reasons. She may:

• be too hot or too cold
• be hungry or in pain
• believe that she needs to go to work, catch a bus or get home to feed her children lunch.

As a caregiver, pinpointing the reason behind wandering can be a challenging task, especially when verbal communication has become difficult. Looking at non-verbal clues may help you establish the reason for the wandering.

• Is there a pattern to the behaviour?
• Does the wandering appear aimless or confused?
• Is there a particular purpose to the wandering? Being able to find the pattern of wandering can help you identify why the person wanders.

Once this is determined, you can begin to put strategies in place to manage the behaviour. The following are some of the types of wandering associated with Alzheimer's disease, and some possible reasons for the behaviour.

Aimless wandering

• non-focused walking with little or no apparent direction, purpose or destination
• it may take place because the person is bored or feels the need to move about
• it may be the person's response to feelings of stress, anxiety or physical discomfort.

Purposeful wandering

• goal-oriented wandering where the person wishes to accomplish something (such as go to the store for groceries)
• the person may appear to be searching for something or trying to return to familiar surroundings from her past
• she may be looking for a familiar place that will give her feelings of security and reassurance
• she may have a physical need, such as hunger or the need to use the washroom.

Night-time wandering

• night hours are often a time for wandering
• broken sleep patterns may cause restlessness and disorientation in the middle of the night
• confusion about time may also cause the person to be unaware of the difference between day and night.

(eg. she may wake, get out of bed and go to the kitchen to look for something to eat or try to get dressed )

Note: this can be an especially exhausting pattern for family caregivers. Should this type of night-time wandering persist, consult with your family physician and local Alzheimer Society for assistance.

Industrious wandering

• the person may incorporate repetitive behaviour into her wandering
• in her need to keep busy, she may continue habits, or recreate schedules or routines established long ago, such as trying to go to work or catch a bus.