• Gets out of bed and wanders in the night
• Leaves the house and forgets where they came from or where they are going. (This is also an example of the symptom Symptom
  In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue. of disorientation Disorientation
  A lack of awareness or confusion about time, place, or personal information. to place.)
• Leaves the house without any purpose
• Circles or paces around a room
• Does not recognize current dwelling as home
• Appears restless or has energy to spare (This is another example of the symptom Symptom
  In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue. of restlessness.)
• Searching for something or someone in the past. (This can be an example of the symptom Symptom
  In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue. of delusions.)

Often times, for people with dementia, the rhythmic, repetitive action of walking (which can also be an example of repetitive behaviour) is comforting and therefore there is not always another purpose behind this action other than to relieve anxiety through the movement itself.

It is important to recognize that there is often no reason behind the wandering. This will keep you from getting frustrated with trying to find a cause.

Some reasons for wandering might include:

• Restlessness, or lost sense of what they feel they should be doing or thinking
• Disorientation Disorientation
  A lack of awareness or confusion about time, place, or personal information., or inability to recognize where they are or to find where they want to go (i.e. they may be searching for a childhood friend or a past residence)
• Agitation or boredom, as they may have a lack of activities to keep them occupied, they may be easing discomfort or they may be trying to use excess energy
• The need for purposeful or work-like activity

If this symptom Symptom
In medicine a symptom is what the patient complains of. For example, a a patient may have symptoms of pain and fatigue. is affecting your daily life, SymptomGuide^TM can help you understand and communicate with your doctor and family members. You can start using SymptomGuide^TM now by creating your individualized profile.