Thursday, December 10, 2015

Dementia & Wandering: Tips To Keep Loved Ones Safe

By Rue Nichols


Wandering is a very common issue among people with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. Not only is this very troubling for family members, your loved one could end up in grave danger because of this wandering. To help keep a loved one as safe as possible, the following advice might prove helpful.

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 can be very tough for caregivers to be able to watch a person around the clock, but there are a few ways to improve safety for your loved one if he or she lives at home rather than in assisted living in Oceanside. For instance, you can make sure that they have a wallet with identification. Of course, this could be left behind, so wearing a medical alert bracelet could help increase safety. Another option is to sew a patch inside a favorite jacket or sweater that provides information for anyone who might find your loved one wandering.

Often, a person with dementia or Alzheimer's will wander away in the early evening or at night. In general, people with dementia can be very restless at night and have difficulty sleeping. To help with this problem, keeping your loved one on a schedule and providing engaging activities as well as physical activities can be helpful. After a busy day, a person will be more likely to have a good night's sleep. In general, keeping a person occupied and busy can reduce the impulse to wander.

In some cases, families do resort to taking stronger measures to ensure the safety of a family member. Placing locks high up on the front door or using child-proof devices on doors and windows can make it difficult for a person to leave. Installing door monitors that signal when a door has opened also can alert someone that your loved one is leaving the house. Ask some kind neighbors to keep an eye out and give you a quick call if they see your loved one wandering around the neighborhood. If the battle to keep your loved one safe gets to be too much, it can be smart to look into a residence for assisted living in San Diego County.

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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