Antecedents, descriptions and consequences of wandering in cognitively-impaired adults and the Safe Return (SR) program.

Unattended wandering is a major problem in cognitively impaired (CI) individuals and can result in those individuals becoming lost in the community. The purpose of this study was to identify important characteristics of unattended wandering and important prevention strategies. Data were compiledfrom registration files and missing and discovery reports collected through the Safe Return (SR) program. These data were analyzed to determine where individuals were found, who found them, from what setting they left, what mode of transportation they used, and what circumstances surrounded the unattended wandering. The study highlights the unpredictable and varied nature of unattended wandering. Recommendations are provided for communities to develop strategies to minimize unattended wandering and to determine effective methods of locating CI individuals when they become lost.