Wandering is the most common cause of wandering in people with cognitive impairment. Why do people wander?
- They may feel too hot or too cold
- Patients may feel agitated due to side effects of medications or environmental factors.
- Symptoms of delusions or hallucinations
- Physical discomfort, such as hunger, pain, or urgency to urinate or defecate.
- May feel bored and seek stimulation
- Still feel energized but have no outlet for it
- Changes in sleeping habits that cause the days and nights to be reversed
- Sundowning syndrome
- Believes he or she needs to work or take care of children, etc.
- Want to maintain old habits, e.g., the patient used to go for walks.
- New environment (e.g., new house, elderly home, etc.) may increase the risk of wandering.
- Can't recognize the current house and wants to go home.
