These are great tips. It's also helpful to bring in a caregiver for evening care, since wandering is often an accelerated concern in conjunction with sundowning. This way, family members can get the rest they need overnight while knowing their loved one is safely cared for. More details here: https://allcarelivingservices.com/services/alzheimers-and-dementia-care/

Great article! Understanding and preventing dementia wandering can be stressful.

I perceive that many caregivers dismiss wandering as something that happens to other folks, but never could happen to their loved one. I also perceive that caregivers vastly underestimate the dangers of wandering to their loved ones and the anxiety they will feel if their loved is lost.
Wanders often travel long distances and then are found by law enforcement officials. In the nation's capitol, adult protective or social services become involved when a person is found by DC police. This invention can increase caregiving requirements dramatically. For one of my clients, adult protective services required the family to provide 24/7 caregiving as opposed to daytime caregiving only.
Caregivers should know that persons who wander often do it without their knowing about it. Call it sneaky or surreptitious, persons can engage in wandering for a long time without being noticed. For example, neighbors told that my clients was often out at night. She would get lost in her own neighborhood and then knock on doors to help her, but neither I or the family knew this until she went into assisted living.
In this case, she was picked up by DC police five blocks from her home because she was looking for something to eat--even though she had just had a large dinner with me about an hour before.
I hope that this does not sound like a lecture. I am writing about it because I hope others will benefit from my experience with wandering.

There is a Company named Assist Security Products, that manufactures Assist Alzheimer's & dementia Portable Door Lock. You can use it at home and when you travel. Will stop Patients at the door.
We use these locks al the time.They work great. Don W.

Great article, very informative with many good suggestions. I would also look into GPS and Cellular technology to locate the person that you care for. Check out locationbasedGPS as this site offers a variety of products for wandering prevention safety solutions. GPS and cellular technology is designed to let you know where your loved ones are located. Don't wait for the wander -- do something to prevent wander before it happens in order to give yourself some peace of mind. Wandering is a seriously dangerous behavior that needs to be prevented.

Another thought on wandering is , I have a great call one button on my spouse which uses GPS to locate the patient , it is around $30 per month, an engraved ID bracelet with address , illness, etc. and I also have a Safe Return from a free program with our local Sheriff's Dept that works on radio signal and also have informed our local volunteer fire dept and all neighbors of his illness. That is as good as it gets unless I find something else. The Safe Return Program is wonderful and donations to this program or a similar one is well deserved and appreciated in our location it is free and needs donations too.

I think the article is concise and very informative. It makes several good suggestions.
Very good article. I have completed most of these earlier, even have a whole house alarm system but am not sure that would stop a wanderer with the big A.