The behaviour of someone living with dementia can change radically over time.

Some most common things to watch for are pacing, disorientation, repeated questions, frustration or paranoia, and misplacing items.

Samantha Holland with the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba, says up to 60 per cent of those with dementia will get lost or wander away from home at some point.

She tells us here of some warning signs.

“Are they coming home later after a routine outing? Are they getting turned around or confused while navigating their home. Are they talking about needing to go to work or get the kids to school so trying to continue a long standing routine that may not reflect their reality right now? Have they started a new medication? Are they getting enough activity throughout the day? Enough sleep? Pain? All of these things can indicate a higher risk for leaving the home and getting lost.”

Keep records of when wandering happens and possible reasons why.    You can install a lock on the door to deter wandering or add a chime to indicate if the door has been opened.

For more tips on how to deal with the behavioural changes that come with dementia, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 for the full interview with Holland.