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"Memory is the thread that links the
present and the past. If this vital connection is severed, the individual
loses a large part of himself ."
Judy Siegel-Itzkovich "The agonizing loss of self" - that's how journalist Judy Siegel-Itzkovich characterized Alzheimer's disease. "In Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, memory doesn't disappear all at once but gradually, making the condition even more confusing and frightening to the patient and his family," she notes. There are a number of warning signs that could signal the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The sufferer has difficulty performing familiar tasks. He can't remember what day it is. He keeps losing things. He wanders off and can't remember where he is or how to get home. The tendency to wander makes victims of both those suffering from dementia and their families. Apart from caring for a sufferer's physical and emotional needs, the caregiver has the added responsibility of seeing that he or she does not wander off and come to any harm. There are many reasons why an Alzheimer's patient wanders from home. The person might feel stressed by a change of location (moving in with family, for example), and might be seeking something familiar. Stress might also be caused by noise, crowding, or isolation. Some medications have side effects that can result in confusion and restlessness. The person might be hungry, thirsty or simply in need of companionship. The person may lack sufficient exercise and might need to get out and about more. He might be frustrated and irritable over his inability to cope with his changing circumstances. Understanding why a person is wandering helps you find suitable strategies to cope with this behavior. There are numerous books which offer strategies for coping with dementing illnesses. There are many ways of dealing with wandering; unfortunately, many involve the virtual imprisonment of the wanderer in a home or institution. HomeFree™ was designed specifically to provide the means to keep dementia sufferers at home. HomeFree™ provides a solution which gives peace-of-mind to the caregiver and returns a feeling of freedom and dignity to the dementia sufferer. Some useful articles:
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