Resident characteristics associated with wandering in nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
This retrospective cohort study examined the association between resident characteristics and the development of wandering behavior.


METHODS
Subjects included a total of 8982 residents from the states of Mississippi, Texas, and Vermont who had baseline and 3-month follow-up Minimum Data Set assessments between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1997.


RESULTS
Residents who had a short-term memory problem (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.05), had pneumonia (OR = 3.15), asked repetitive questions (OR = 2.19), had a long-term memory problem (OR = 2.06), exhibited dementia (OR = 19.4), constipation (OR = 1.82), expressed sadness or pain (OR = 1.65), and used antipsychotic medication (OR = 1.70), were at an increased risk for developing wandering behavior compared to residents without these characteristics. Residents with functional impairment (OR = 0.28) and women (OR = 0.61) were less likely to develop wandering behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of this study may be useful in constructing causal theories for the development of wandering behavior.
Kiely
D K
DK
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for Aged, HRCA Research and Training Institute, Boston, MA 02131, USA. kiely@mail.hrca.harvard.edu
Morris
J N
JN
Algase
D L
DL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011939:Mental Recall; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009949:Orientation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment