Summary
"Wandering" is a common problem and it is frequently seen in older people with cognitive impairment, especially in dementia patients (Hodgkinson et al., 2007). Newspapers and broadcast media report stories of cognitively impaired leaving from homes and long-term care facilities and becoming lost. Some wanderes are found and alive but some are injured or dead or never found.
The behaviour is one of the most troubling behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia to cause stress to the caregiver (Neville et al., 2006; Hodgkinson et al., 2007). However, aetiology of wandering behaviour has not discovered fully. During the illness, many wander putting themselves at risk and challenging to cares and institutional staff (Miskelly, 2004). Therefore, understanding and use some strategies (environmental modifications, technology and safety, physical/psychosocial interventions and caregiving support and education) to manage the behaviour are essential for caregivers and institutional staff.
Aetiology
Even Meguro et al. (2004) reported that wandering behaviour have more dyspraxia, but wandering behaviour has not been fully explored and unclear of why and what causes wandering (Lai, 2003; Myra, 2004; Algase, 2005).
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English: Histopathogic image of senile plaques see...The behaviour, many studies have highlighted unpredictable and unattended (Lai, 2003). It might have different reasons and individuals. Hypotheses explanation include past lifestyle of activity, current needs, and reactions to environmental stress (Myra, 2004), and, Therefore, this makes it hard to discover effective strategies for managing wandering and difficult to design appropriate intervention strategies (Hermans et al., 2007).
Definition overview
wandering is a complex behaviour among older adults with dementias, has been defined as a purposeful and goal directed behaviour which means exit-seeking or wayfinding behaviour and execution of one or more strategies to follow the path and reach the particular need of desire. The desire, such as leaving the current environment, leaving the confined area, talking about going home, going to...