Visual barriers to prevent ambulatory Alzheimer's patients from exiting through an emergency door.

Mobility combined with impaired mental functioning presents safety risks for Alzheimer's patients and poses an ethical dilemma for staff. This study, conducted on an Alzheimer's unit, tested seven different visual barrier conditions for reducing patient exists. Findings indicate that exiting was eliminated under two conditions. The results suggest visual agnosia, the inability to interpret what the eye sees, may be utilized as a tool in managing wandering behavior of Alzheimer's patients.