What is wandering?

What it looks like day to day

It rarely starts with a dramatic disappearance.

First your loved one comes back late from a walk, or gets turned around in the supermarket parking lot. They may pace, check the doors, pack a bag “to go home,” or say they need to pick up the children from school. The Alzheimer’s Association lists these as warning signs, along with anxiety in crowded places and trouble finding familiar rooms.

Why it happens

Wandering usually has a purpose that makes sense to your loved one: an old routine (going to work), an unmet need (bathroom, hunger, pain), restlessness, boredom, or fear in a confusing setting. It is common in the late afternoon with sundowning. Memory loss and trouble judging space and direction then turn a short walk into getting lost.

Lowering the risk at home

• Plan activity and a walk at the time of day wandering usually happens.
• Meet basic needs: bathroom trips, snacks, water.
• Add door chimes or alarms and night lights; consider covering or camouflaging exit doors. Never lock someone in alone.
• Remove car keys if your loved one no longer drives. Our post on giving up the keys can help.
• Keep a recent close-up photo and a list of places they might head for.
• In Florida, note nearby water: canals, retention ponds, pools and lakes are serious hazards.

More ways to make the house safer

The Alzheimer’s Association suggests a few extra steps that cost little:

• Deadbolts placed high or low, out of sight
• A black mat or painted strip about two feet deep in front of a door, which some people avoid crossing
• Pressure-sensitive mats by the bed or door that sound an alert
• Coats, hats, purses and keys kept out of view
• Labels or pictures on bathroom and bedroom doors

It also advises never leaving your loved one alone in a car. None of these guarantees safety, so pair them with supervision at the riskiest times.

If your loved one goes missing

1. Search right away. The Alzheimer’s Association notes many people are found within 1.5 miles of where they disappeared; check brush, fence lines and water edges.
2. Call 911 within 15 minutes if they are not found, and say the person has dementia.
3. Ask about a Silver Alert. Under FDLE criteria, local law enforcement can issue a Local Silver Alert for a person 60 or older with verified dementia missing on foot, or request a State Silver Alert with highway signs if a vehicle is involved. Only law enforcement can request it.

Our full Florida wandering and elopement guide has a printable plan.

Florida Silver Alert basics

Florida created the Silver Alert by executive order in 2008, and lawmakers put it into statute in 2011. According to FDLE, the agency issuing a local alert sets its radius and it generally stays active until the person is found, while highway signs for a State Silver Alert run for up to six hours. Families start by calling the local law enforcement agency where the person was last seen; FDLE’s missing persons clearinghouse is at 1-888-356-4774.

Build a wandering kit today

• A recent close-up photo, printed and on your phone
• Height, weight, and what they usually wear
• Which hand is dominant; wandering often heads that way
• Past homes, workplaces, churches and favorite stores
• Medical conditions and medicines
• Phone numbers of neighbors who agreed to call you

Keep a copy with the hospital information sheet so you are not searching for details in a crisis.

When to call the doctor

Tell the doctor when wandering starts or increases. Pain, constipation, medication side effects, poor sleep or an infection can drive restlessness, and treating them may help.

Wandering vs. pacing

Pacing inside a safe space can be a healthy way to move and self-soothe. Wandering becomes dangerous when it leads to leaving safety, getting lost or entering hazards. The goal is not to stop all movement but to make movement safe.

Supervision that fits your family

Families often schedule a companion for the hours when wandering risk peaks, with walks built in. If your loved one lives alone, our living-alone guide explains when that stops being safe, and in-home care vs. memory care covers the next steps.

Related terms

• Sundowning
• Agitation
• Memory care
• Anosognosia
• Companion care
• Alzheimer’s disease