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Wandering Assisted Living Residents |
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Organizations:
The following organizations can provide listings of accredited housing and assisted living facilities for seniors:
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
Phone: 202-783-2242
www.aahsa.org
or
Assisted Living Federation of America
Phone: 703-691-8100
www.alfa.org
Elder Abuse:
You can usually find your local Elder Abuse program under the Human Services section of your phone book, or you can report suspected abuse by calling 800-677-1116
AARP:
American Association of Retired Persons
Phone: 1-800-424-3410
www.aarp.org
VA Help:
To see if you are eligible for V.A. help, go to V.A. Web
site
www.va.gov
Questions About Medicare?
Questions about Medicare?
Phone: 1-800-633-4227
Questions About Medicaid?
Medicaid information is usually listed under the Human Services section of your local phone book
All information on this website is deemed reliable but not guaranteed
| Home
» Wandering - How To Deal With In An Assisted
Living Home |
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| Summary:
Many assisted living residents
live restless lives, and may wander to help cope with their anxiety
and restlessness. However, a resident wanders, and they also suffer
from dementia or Alzheimer's, a potential safety concern surfaces.
Written by: The staff at Assisted Living Directory |
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| One of the most common news subjects I see come out of the Assisted Living industry is of residents who wander off of the premises of their assisted living facility or care setting, only to either be found later, scared and confused, or to be found deceased. The most recent one I read was only a few days ago (August 19, 2008) of a woman from Long Beach, California suffering from dementia and takes medication, who wandered away from an emergency room. The disturbing thing about this was, apparently, the assisted living facility where she resided did not notify her family for 10 days. She is still missing as of this writing. It is a common way to deal with restlessness
- going for a walk. Many assisted living facilities have ample
hallways or However, when a resident is prone to wandering, and the resident suffers from dementia or Alzheimer's, or any other mental disorder, then precautions must be taken to ensure their safety. Many facilities now have only one entry/exit point that is monitored carefully. Others employ ankle or wrist bracelets to help track their residents. If it isn't in the mainstream already, then it is only a matter of time before facilities use GPS (global positioning systems) devices to track their residents' locations precisely at all times. Questions to ask any prospective facility include: Do they have 24-hour security and staffing? Where are the entry/exit points? Do they keep a thorough, up-to-date emergency and family contact list? Have there been any previous incidents with missing residents? Facilities can also help residents cope by offering exercise classes and equipment. Treadmills and stationary bikes can be a great way to burn off the restlessness, and also improve well-being. Other classes such as yoga and meditation can also help residents to calm their nerves. I think about a bumper sticker that I see from time to time that says "All who wander aren't really lost." In the case of those in an assisted living environment, they very well may be lost. - by the staff at Assisted Living Directory |
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grounds
to allow for walking. This is a nice evolution in assisted living
and long-term care - as the facilities of yesteryear were more
prison-like, and residents were often behind lock and key for
most of the day.| |