A dementing person in a nursing home which is situated on a main street with a cliff behind cannot be allowed to wander. The dangers are obvious. In a small country town the same dementing person will be returned home, and not allowed to come to harm. In the former case, the wanderer may receive heavy sedation or, in some cases, physical restraint. The rural wanderer enjoys freedom.
Different societies have different expectations about the dementias.
The application of this principle is that we can sometimes change the environment to suit the person. Dementia affects more than one person Dementia is not just one person's illness - it is the whole family's. The burden of care rests squarely on the shoulders of the family in the majority of cases. In order for caregivers to be able to provide high quality care they must ensure they are well. They need to attend to their own physical and psychological health, and make sure they have some social outlets.