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I am a caregiver currently for a mild dementia client and have concerns about wandering as a symptom appearing in her day to day life.
She has her own routine where she goes outside for awhile at 11:30 am . She sits in the sun and then walks around in her yard to look at her plants. She then goes to the side gate , unlocks it, and walks around in the front yard to look at her flowers, sometimes dead heading them to make them grow back. She comes back in through the gate after five minutes and closes it . She sits back down in the sun.
All that to say, she has her routine. My concern to help better care for my client is the fact whether she is wandering or not and how to tell.
concerned caregiver

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It doesn't sound like wandering at all. However, you as her caregiver are the one aware of how often she unexpectedly "takes off" from her premises with no purpose in mind and becomes lost and confused.

Everything you described here is exceptionally purposeful movement such as any human being might make on a habitual "task" around their own home. Unless there is something missing from your description, that is.

Remember, in these issues the internet is your friend. Look up "wandering and dementia" and you will find a wealth of information on the internet.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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To me this sounds more like just this woman's routine than wandering, as folks with dementia often fall into a routine, and don't do well if that routine is disrupted.
The time you will have to be concerned is when she goes out the gate and is found 2 miles down the road in someone else's yard deadheading their flowers.
That would then be considered wandering.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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ShiningLight34 Aug 1, 2025
That is what I thought , thank you so much
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