Wandering behaviour and elopement in a person with dementia in a residential care setting: a reflective case study

Abstract

This article reports on a fictional case study focusing on a person with dementia with a history of wandering behaviour, who was admitted to a residential care setting for 2 weeks of respite care. Caring for people with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia is complex. It is imperative that gerontology nurses have a sound knowledge of dementia in order to provide person-centred, safe, integrated, high-quality and appropriate care. Furthermore, gerontology nurses are in a position to support people with dementia and their carers by undertaking a comprehensive assessment of the person's needs to advise on possible and appropriate solutions to enable ageing in place. Community care and support to enable people with dementia to remain in their own home is recommended. While previous research shows a small positive effect of respite care for carers of people with dementia, there is no current evidence showing the benefits or adverse effects of respite care for care recipients.