Empirical derivation and validation of a wandering typology.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a wandering typology.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, correlational descriptive design.


METHODS
Twenty-two nursing homes and six assisted living facilities.


METHODS
One hundred forty-two residents with dementia who spoke English, met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for dementia, scored less than 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), were ambulatory (with or without assistive device), and maintained a stable regime of psychotropic medications were studied.


METHODS
Data on wandering were collected using direct observations, plotted serially according to rate and duration to yield 21 parameters, and reduced through factor analysis to four components: high rate, high duration, low to moderate rate and duration, and time of day. Other measures included the MMSE, Minimum Data Set 2.0 mobility items, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, and tympanic body temperature readings.


RESULTS
Three groups of wanderers were identified through cluster analysis: classic, moderate, and subclinical. MMSE, mobility, and cardiac and upper and lower gastrointestinal problems differed between groups of wanderers and in comparison with nonwanderers.


CONCLUSIONS
Results have implications for improving identification of wanderers and treatment of possible contributing factors.
Algase
Donna L
DL
School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. dalgase@umich.edu
Antonakos
Cathy
C
Beattie
Elizabeth R A
ER
Beel-Bates
Cynthia A
CA
Yao
Lan
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001831:Body Temperature; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009735:Nursing Homes; D019370:Observation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055816:Wandering Behavior / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*