The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that the number of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients in the United States is expected to double by 2060 to an alarming 13.9 million. “Early diagnosis is key…” said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield.

One symptom of both these diseases is wandering.

The New York Times reports that six out of ten people suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia wander. Dictionary.com defines wander “as to ramble without a definite purpose or objective; roam, rove, or stray or to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander;” Wikipedia describes wandering in dementia patients as “a common behavior that can cause great risk for the person, and is often the major priority (and concern) for caregivers;” and the Alzheimer’s Association has an entire section dedicated to wandering.

Developing a strategy for care in Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients that wander involves personalized knowledge of the patient and their history. Emotion replaces rationale in a haze of disorientation and patients grab at memories related to those emotions. Newer memories are replaced with older ones. That behavior guides them towards specific locations moving — oftentimes with a remarkable evasiveness — through hazardous and unfamiliar areas, which causes more confusion and injuries. All-to-often elderly citizens disappear; some are found with the help of Silver Alert — a U.S. public notification alert system that broadcasts missing elderly persons in order to locate them; and sometimes, patients vanish never to be seen again leaving family and caregivers endlessly searching for their faces in a sea of faces. Patients are usually found within 2-3 days and returned, but the human cost for the patient and caregiver can be great.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a prevention and planning page that suggests creating a daily routine filled with activities; discovering the times that the patient tends to wander so caregivers can monitor; providing the essentials; and utilizing unseen locks and securing all windows and doors.

Here are a few recommendations in case of disappearance courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association:

  • Keep a list of people to call on for help. Have telephone numbers easily accessible.
  • Ask neighbors, friends and family to call if they see the person alone.
  • Keep a recent, close-up photo and updated medical information on hand to give to police.
  • Know your neighborhood. Pinpoint dangerous areas near the home, such as bodies of water, open stairwells, dense foliage, tunnels, bus stops and roads with heavy traffic.
  • Is the individual right or left-handed? Wandering generally follows the direction of the dominant hand.
  • Keep a list of places where the person may wander. This could include past jobs, former homes, places of worship or a restaurant.

With the advent of wireless and GPS technology, caregivers can now keep wanderers safe or find them quickly when they disappear. BEC Integrated Solutions Wander Management Systems can provide one such technology. Wander Management Systems consist of RFID-enabled technology that tracks the patient within set borders to guarantee their protection.

Another system — The Numera Libris GPS Cellular Network Location Device — can track the patient’s personal health data, daily activities and location at all times ensuring safety and immediate location accuracy specifically in cases of wandering.

The Anti Wandering & Fall Prevention System is yet another affordable and practical system that can be designed to fit you and your patient or loved one’s needs. Containing call-buttons, silent signaling to a centralized location, sensor pads, floor mats, pagers and panic buttons, these devices are wireless and come without the burdensome cords that can oftentimes cause falls and injuries in patients.

BEC Integrated Solutions aim is to provide caregivers with affordable and user-friendly technology to help keep your patient or loved one safe. Please contact us for a free quote.