Wandering

 

When I am visiting another city, either on holiday or for work, I like to wander around the shopping centres…just to have a look.
I don’t get time to do this when I’m at home.

When I’m at home, one of my downtime strategies is to wander around my garden.
I love doing this.
It brings me peace and it replenishes my soul.

So, when I’m wandering, it’s ok.

Is ‘wandering’ a problem?

How did we come to view wandering in the context of dementia as a problem?
And whose problem is it?
It’s our problem isn’t it and it’s inconvenient.

Dementia Australia’s information on ‘wandering’ states “Wandering is quite common amongst people with dementia…”
I refer back to the shopping centres and the number of people seemingly wandering about these shops all day…

As dementia progresses, people lose the ability to communicate.
Communication difficulties manifest as an inability to verbalise (expressive dysphasia) or an inability to understand language (receptive dysphasia).

If a person with dementia has a communication impairment, their ability to convey if they have pain, if they are hungry, if they are uncertain where they are, if they are looking for someone or something or if they are bored is compromised.

‘Wandering’ is symptomatic of somethings else.
If your loved one is up and about, stop to think for a moment about what their activity might mean.

Approach their ‘wandering’ with a different perspective.
Consider that they may want to go to the toilet.
Or that they have discomfort or pain that they can’t verbalise.
Or that they are looking for someone.
The wandering could be purposeful, not aimless and it’s up to us to try to understand what is going on.

My Dad was at times very mobile and at other times impossible to get out of his chair.
His mobility was completely unpredictable and concerning for us, naturally like anyone else, we were afraid he would fall.
When Dad wanted to get up and go he did so at lightning speed.
Mum would have her back turned for just a moment and she’d turn around and he was gone!

But we ensured the locks on the doors and the gate were secured and the keys hidden from Dad’s view.
So we knew he was contained within the home at least!

The positives of ‘wandering’.

One of the carers in the research group I’m participating in at the moment was discussing a situation he found himself in with a lady he cares for.
The lady was agitated and wanted to go home.
She was at home, but didn’t recognise this.
She wanted to walk. So he allowed her to walk.
He had to follow behind as she didn’t want him near her and they walked outside for 2 hours.

This wonderful carer found this situation very challenging because he couldn’t alleviate the distress this lady was experiencing in wanting to go home and her ‘wandering’ trying to find home.

However…there was an upside to this situation that I immediately realised and pointed out to him.
Walking outside was likely to use up any excess energy the lady might otherwise have had just sitting at home.
And the exposure to daylight would benefit her circadian rhythm.
I asked the carer if the lady slept well that night.
She did!
And her son keeps asking for ‘that wonderful male carer’.

Win win!

‘Wandering’ challenges us as carers…no doubt about that.
But next time your loved one gets up and starts shuffling around the house or trying to go outside, take a moment to stop and think about what might be going on for them.
If you’re able, allow them to walk.
Stay close by just in case they start to get wobbly on their feet.
Watch for any signs of discomfort or relief from discomfort…the walking may be beneficial to some uncommunicated issue like pain.
And if you should happen by the toilet during the walk, try some gentle persuasion and suggest they go to the toilet.
Look for unspoken message in the walking and maybe, just maybe you’ll discover  what the ‘wandering’ means.

If you are concerned about your loved one leaving the house and becoming lost, here are some tracking devices you might want to consider.