Wandering behaviour in people with demantia.
Wandering is one of the most challenging behaviours that those caring for people with dementia may have to cope with. This large scale literature review has assembled the available evidence concerning the definition of wandering, its prevalence, the profile of wanderers, hypotheses about aetiology, the assessment of wandering, the distinction between wandering and 'elopement', and possible interventions. Eight databases were searched for the last 40 years, using the combined keywords 'wandering' and 'dementia'. This produced a total of 133 articles. The authors of the review highlight the lack of a precise definition, the debates surrounding causation, and potential methods of assessment. Interventions discussed in the literature included medication, providing regular outlets for exercise, and environmental manipulation.