When a loved one receives a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, it can be devastating for the whole family.
It’s important to work closely with your loved one’s care team to understand their condition and symptoms and be aware of how the disease will progress.
Many people with Alzheimer’s or dementia begin wandering as their symptoms progress, which can be very dangerous to their health and safety.
Before these symptoms begin, consider hiring an in-home caregiver who has experience in dementia care or Alzheimer’s care.
Here is a closer look at how in-home care can help reduce wandering incidents in people with dementia.
Early Detection of Troubling Symptoms
If your family isn’t home with your loved one 24/7, it’s important to have someone in the home who can recognize changes in their personality and behaviors.
Alzheimer’s caregivers have extensive experience in recognizing the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms.
They can give you early warning of some of the more troubling symptoms that could indicate your loved one might start wandering, such as:
- Restlessness or pacing in or outside of the home
- Making repetitive movements
- Increased agitation or inability to settle down
- Increased confusion or combativeness in the late afternoon and early evening
- Making attempts to complete old routines like going to work
- Saying that they want to go home even when they are already at home
- Repeated questions about friends or family who have passed away or are no longer living at home
- Getting lost inside or outside of the home
- Signs of overstimulation in crowded places or noisy environments
- Signs of boredom or a need for activity
- Confusion about what year it is, where they are, or what they are doing
Professional Guidance and Advice About Changing Needs
A caregiver is an expert in senior care at all life stages. They can provide you with professional guidance and advice as your loved one’s needs change.
They may be able to recommend a support group, community resources, spiritual advisors, healthcare services, and other organizations or agencies who can offer the level of support that you and your family need as your loved one’s disease progresses.
Companionship and Socialization
Daily companionship and socialization is a key element of memory care.
A caregiver can provide your loved one with the stimulation and activities they need to reduce the risk of boredom, isolation, depression, and agitation.
If your loved one can participate in guided activities, they may be less likely to wander off to seek inspiration elsewhere.
Enhanced Safety and Security
Living alone can be very dangerous for someone with dementia. If they wander away from the home, especially at night, in a rural area, or in extreme temperatures, they risk dehydration, injury, or illness.
A home caregiver can enhance your loved one’s safety and security by making sure that they don’t leave the house unsupervised.
Driving, taking a walk, and using public transportation can result in brain fog or confusion, ending with your loved one going to an old residence or wandering aimlessly.
If your loved one needs to go to a doctor’s appointment, community event, or social activity, they will have someone to take them so that they don’t need to drive or use public transportation.
Increased Medication Adherence
It’s crucial that your loved one faithfully take the medication regimen they are on for their disease.
Missing doses or taking too much can affect their safety and health and lead to exacerbated symptoms.
A home caregiver can provide medication reminders and increase medication adherence.
This can slow the progression of symptoms and manage troubling symptoms like agitation, personality changes, mood swings, and wandering.
Maintaining a Consistent Routine
Caregivers who specialize in dementia care understand how important it is that your loved one stick to a consistent daily routine.
Maintaining a routine can reduce symptoms like agitation, anxiety, depression, and restlessness.
When your loved one gets up and goes to bed at the same time each day, they may be less likely to experience sundowning, which can lead to wandering.
Help With the Activities of Daily Living
Your loved one may be more likely to wander if they feel they have unmet needs.
They may attempt to leave the home to get food, attend a meeting or appointment, or fulfill other needs that they think they have outside of the home.
When a caregiver is in the home, they will make sure that all of your loved one’s needs are met.
They offer professional assistance with the activities of daily living, including:
- Getting into and out of bed
- Showering or bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming and personal hygiene
- Getting to and from the toilet
- Moving safely around the home
- Meal preparation and eating
- Medication reminders
Some can also provide assistance with housekeeping like laundry and dishes, as well as grocery shopping and transportation.
Elimination of Triggers
You and your caregiver can work together to minimize triggers that could stimulate your loved one’s need to wander.
This could include coats, hats, keys, and bags. By keeping them out of sight, you can eliminate reminders that could increase the risk of wandering.
Immediate Notification of Problems
If your loved one does get out of the home, a caregiver can immediately put your emergency or contingency plan into effect.
They will notify the police as well as you and your neighbors so that everyone can begin looking for your loved one.
This can result in finding them much faster than if they had wandered away from home while alone.
Caregivers can also offer notification for other problems, like changes in health, behavior, mood, or appetite.
Recommendations for Advanced Care
Should your loved one eventually need a higher level of care than you and a caregiver can provide, your caregiving agency can help you research solutions.
They can work with you and your family to find the ideal assisted living facility that can provide the level of care and support that your loved one needs.
This can alleviate stress on your family by making it easier to research local Alzheimer’s care homes and memory care homes.
Call Placita In Home Care for Alzheimer’s Care in Arizona
If you’re ready to hire an in-home caregiver who offers memory care and Alzheimer’s care in the Tucson or Phoenix metro area, reach out to us at Placita In Home Care.
Our skilled, compassionate caregivers will ensure your loved one’s home is safe and secure to reduce the risk of a fall or wandering incident.
Your loved one can remain in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible while receiving customized dementia care, companionship, and social and mental stimulation that reduces agitation and anxiety.
We can also offer a complimentary home safety evaluation to make sure there are no hidden risks in the home that might make it easier for your loved one to wander.
Should the time come, we also provide assisted living placement services in specialized, local dementia care facilities.
To schedule a consultation, call us today or fill out our contact form online.