Because of the possibility of wandering outside the facility has a door alarm. The device is attached around her wrist like a watch. Mom frequently forgets and removes the device from her wrist. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to proceed?
Different states have varying rules, policies, laws, etc. on how long term care facilities manage the care of residents with dementia. I'm surprised the facility feels comfortable caring for a person with that type of behavior. When my LO began to wander in AL, the facility said they would not be able to provide her care any longer, unless, she had an around the clock assistant, which was not feasible due to the costs. Her doctor prescribed Secure Memory Care at that time. There is much more security and the residents are accounted for at all times.
The problem with the watch, is that it only works to help track her after she is gone. So, who would know to track her if it's not being monitored at all times? Also, even if she is wearing the monitor, it wouldn't prevent her from walking out into traffic, getting into a car with strangers or falling off a bridge.
Perhaps staff can switch to an ankle monitor; she probably feels the wrist device with the constant movement of her hands. My mom is a wanderer and attends an adult daycare. They secure her with an ankle monitor every morning upon arrival and remove it at the end of her day. She does not realize it is on, and cannot remove if she tries.
If your mom is in a facility that offers a continuum of care, they should be moving her to Memory Care at this point. What type of facility is she in? This info would be helpful.
Does your mom use a walker? Attach the device to the walker. Where she goes...the walker goes..the device goes. It does sound like your mom should be in a Memory Care wing or facility rather than Assisted Living. Do the aids help her get dressed in the morning? If so the device could be attached to a belt loop or placed in a pocket. The device could be placed on her ankle. Or..what I did for my Husband when I had a tracker on him...I placed the device on the dominate wrist so he was unable to remove it using his other hand. (He was right handed, I put the tracker on his right and he was unable to use a screwdriver, scissors, or knife with his left hand to remove it)
At Moms NH most of the devises were on the residents ankle. They weren’t removed at night, and were loose enough that socks could be work under it. They switched to the ankle from the wrist when her skin became so thin that the strap actually gave her wrist a skin tear. I don’t think she ever noticed she was wearing it and never messed with it. Finally when she stopped walking they removed it and put it on her wheelchair.
I took care of my mom for 25 years and I would say that she needs to be in a facility that is locked but has an outdoor courtyard area that she can go and enjoy. My husbands cousin left his facility to buy a newspaper and was hit by a car in Florida and killed. Being in a locked facility with an outdoor area would take alot of the worry away.
The problem with the watch, is that it only works to help track her after she is gone. So, who would know to track her if it's not being monitored at all times? Also, even if she is wearing the monitor, it wouldn't prevent her from walking out into traffic, getting into a car with strangers or falling off a bridge.
It does sound like your mom should be in a Memory Care wing or facility rather than Assisted Living.
Do the aids help her get dressed in the morning? If so the device could be attached to a belt loop or placed in a pocket.
The device could be placed on her ankle.
Or..what I did for my Husband when I had a tracker on him...I placed the device on the dominate wrist so he was unable to remove it using his other hand. (He was right handed, I put the tracker on his right and he was unable to use a screwdriver, scissors, or knife with his left hand to remove it)
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