The Alzheimer's Association says six in 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once, and many do it again and again. It can happen at any stage of the disease. It can go from your parent in the kitchen to an open front door in about a minute.
This article is general information for caregivers, not medical advice. It comes down to two things you can control: what you set up now, and what you do in the first 15 minutes.
The warning signs
Wandering does not come out of nowhere. The Alzheimer's Association lists these signs that a person may be at risk:
- Coming back from a regular walk or drive later than usual
- Forgetting how to get to familiar places
- Trying or wanting to "go home" even when at home
- Restlessness, pacing, or repetitive movements
- Talking about old obligations, such as going to work
If you see any of these, treat it as a plan-ahead signal, not a one-off.
Do these now, before it happens
- Keep a recent, close-up photo ready. Put one on your phone and print one, so you can hand it to the police.
- Tell the neighbors. Ask neighbors, friends, and family to call you if they see your parent wandering, lost, or dressed wrong for the weather.
- Write down where they might go. Former homes, old workplaces, a church, a favorite park.
- Learn the hazards around the house. Water, busy roads, and open stairwells.
- Put coats, keys, and wallets out of sight. Items like these can prompt a person to leave.
- Add door alarms, night lights, or safety gates, or camouflage the door. Never lock your parent in.
- Deal with the car. If your parent still drives, a GPS device can help. If they no longer drive, take the keys. Here is how to have that conversation.
- Consider a wandering response service. The Alzheimer's Association suggests it. One example is MedicAlert with Safe and Found: a medical ID with a toll-free number on it, plus a 24/7 line you call to report a wandering incident. It requires a paid membership. The page we checked does not list prices, so ask before you sign up.
Plan around the hour it happens
Wandering often follows a pattern. For people with sundowning, it is often early evening. The Alzheimer's Association advice is to plan structured activities for the time of day your parent is most likely to wander, and to make sure basic needs are covered first: toileting, food, and drink. It also says to cut back on liquids in the two hours before bed, but not eliminate them.
- Avoid confusing, busy places such as shopping malls.
- Do not leave your parent alone in new surroundings.
- If they seem lost or disoriented, reassure them.
If the late-day pattern sounds familiar, here is what to track and what to try.
If your parent is missing
Start searching right away. The Alzheimer's Association says to call 911 if you have not found your parent within 15 minutes, and to tell the dispatcher your parent has dementia. Nothing stops you from calling sooner.
- Search close first. The Alzheimer's Association says many people who wander are found within 1.5 miles of where they disappeared.
- Check the hazards. Ponds, tree lines, fence lines, and brush.
- Check places they have been before, using the list you wrote.
- Think about handedness. The Alzheimer's Association notes that wandering often follows the direction of the dominant hand.
- Call 911 at 15 minutes and say "dementia."
- Hand the officer the photo and one page of facts. Name, diagnosis, medications, doctors, what your parent was wearing, and your phone number.
- Call your neighbors and family. If you are enrolled in a wandering response service, call its emergency line.
If your state has a Silver Alert system, ask the officer about it.
After they are found
Check for injuries and make sure your parent has had something to drink. Then call the doctor and report what happened. A first wandering episode is a change, and changes are worth a call. For advice from people who know dementia, the Alzheimer's Association Helpline is 1-800-272-3900, open 24 hours a day.
The short version
Before
- A recent close-up photo, on your phone and on paper
- Neighbors who know to call you
- Keys, coats, and wallets out of sight
- Door alarms and night lights
- One page of facts, filled out ahead of time
If missing
- Search close first, up to 1.5 miles
- Ponds, fence lines, brush, old places
- 911 at 15 minutes, or sooner
- Say "dementia"
- Photo and one page to the officer
You cannot watch your parent every second. You can make sure that if the worst minute comes, the photo, the list, and the facts are already in your hand.