“I found a resource called The Caregiver’s Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors on the Family Caregiver Alliance website that helped explain why wandering occurs:
‘People with dementia walk, seemingly aimlessly, for a variety of reasons, such as boredom, medication side effects or to look for something or someone. They also may be trying to fulfill a physical need—thirst, hunger, a need to use the toilet or exercise. Discovering the triggers for wandering is not always easy, but they can provide insights to dealing with the behavior.’ ” –MiaMadre
“Wandering is a phase of deterioration. How long it will last varies from person to person, but it will not last forever. My aunt went through it for over a year. What was really exhausting was when she could not sleep and was up all night going through her dresser drawers. Understand that it is a lot like when you had a toddler in your home that got into everything. It’s just that the person is now older, but it’s the same concept—you must ‘baby proof’ your home.” –LyricaLady
“It is disconcerting when a loved one with dementia gets up at night and does things. My mother gets up often at night and has done this for years. Sometimes she gets a snack and turns off the air conditioning, but so far it hasn’t…
This article was sourced from AgingCare.com.