1. Analyze the situation:

When and where did the wandering begin?

What was happening around the patient?

What was the patient doing immediately prior to the wandering?

2. Engage the following interventions as necessary:

Door locks and or alarms

Remove or substitute key to the house or car

Window locks

Orientation symbols

3. Follow environmental safety guidelines:

Night lights

Commode

Decorate to hide doors

Get rid of visual obstacles

4. Increase patients physical activity and exercise:

Wear comfortable dress and footwear

Monitor nutritional intake

Possibly increase companionship and opportunities to socialize

5. Psychological intervention:

Reduce anxiety

Reality orientation to surroundings and people

Distraction

6. Preventing wandering as a management strategy:

Simple, routine, familiar routines

Samuel Lawson Ph.D. (c) copyright 1997