Getting lost can be an early sign of dementia, even in the mild cognitive impairment stage. However, it more commonly occurs in the moderate and severe stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Mild Cognitive Impairment
In the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, a person may start to have difficulty with navigation and orientation. They may get lost or disoriented in unfamiliar places. However, they are still able to function independently and find their way in familiar environments.
Early Alzheimer’s Disease
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses to the early stage, getting lost or disoriented can happen more frequently. A person may get confused about how to get to familiar places like their doctor’s office or the grocery store. Using a GPS can help early on, but eventually they may get lost even with GPS assistance.
Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
In the moderate or middle stage of Alzheimer’s, getting lost when alone becomes much more common. A person can get confused and lost even in very familiar environments like their own neighborhood or homes of family members. This is because their spatial navigation skills and memory for places decline significantly.
At this stage, people with dementia require constant supervision when outside to ensure they do not wander off and get lost. GPS tracking devices like a watch or smartphone app can help locate someone if they do wander off and get disoriented.
Severe Alzheimer’s Disease
In severe or late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, a person will get lost immediately if left unsupervised. They can no longer determine where they are, how to get to a destination, or how to get back home. Assisted living with staff on hand 24/7 provides the level of supervision needed to keep someone with late-stage dementia safe.
Other Types of Dementia
Getting lost is also a symptom that can occur in the middle and late stages of other types of dementia, such as:
- Vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Frontotemporal dementia
The timing and severity of disorientation depends on which part of the brain is affected and the progression of the disease. But in general, moderate dementia is the stage when people with these conditions will start exhibiting noticeable symptoms of getting lost when alone.
Preventing Wandering and Getting Lost
Because disorientation and wandering are dangerous and distressing symptoms of dementia, it is important to take steps to prevent it:
- Keep doors locked and install alarms on exits
- Provide supervision at all times
- Use GPS tracking devices
- Provide identification bracelet with emergency contact info
- Distract and redirect when restlessness occurs
- Exercise daily to reduce agitation
What to Do if Someone is Lost
If an individual with dementia does become lost:
- Call 911 immediately if they are not located quickly
- Notify family members and caretakers
- Check GPS tracking devices if available
- Search familiar places they may wander to
- Ask neighbors, shop owners, etc. if they have been seen
- Check nearby parks, streets, parking lots, and other public areas
- Call local hospitals to see if they have been admitted
Conclusion
Getting lost is a common symptom starting in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It becomes progressively more frequent and severe as cognition declines. Caregivers need to be vigilant in supervising wandering and have preventative measures in place. With proper precautions and planning, the risks associated with this symptom can be minimized.