When his wife arrived, he was elated and shook the couple's hands graciously before returning to his home. Wandering is indeed a problem for Alzheimer's patients and caregivers. As the disease progresses, your loved one may experience increased disorientation with regard to time and space. He or she may slowly lose the ability to recognize places and even familiar faces. According to studies, nearly 60 percent of people with AD living at home tend to wander away from their house or their caregivers.
Some researchers attribute wandering to a combination of memory impairment and disorientation.
Other studies have looked at wandering as a way of reducing stress. To caregivers and family, wandering can be frightening or simply exasperating, but this behavior can almost always be traced to an underlying cause. Theories for the causes of wandering are legion. Experts say the causes may include the side effects of medications that cause confusion or restlessness. The person with AD may be trying to avoid an isolated and seemingly dangerous spot, or trying to escape noise, tension, or stress inside the home or residential setting.