Wandering and Alzheimer's disease:: Descriptive study.: REAL.FR program on Alzheimer's disease and field of care

Purpose. - Wandering is a common problem among patients with Alzheimer's disease. Few studies have examined this problematic behaviour in the community. The aim of the present study was to increase our understanding of wandering during Alzheimer's disease in subjects living in the community. Methods. - We studied 571 patients with Alzheimer's disease living in the community. Objective cognitive status was assessed using a series of standardized neuropsychological tests. Nutritional assessment, risk of fall, autonomy were assessed as well as the burden of their family. The behavioural abnormalities of patients were assessed with their caregiver using the Neuro-Psychiatric Inventory. Patients with or without wandering were described. Results. - Prevalence of wandering was 12,6 %. Patients with wandering appeared to have more severe cognitive impairment, less autonomy and were undernourished. Behavioural and psychological signs significantly associated with wandering were delirium, aggressiveness, irritability, depression, anxiety, euphoria, apathy, desinhibition and eating behaviour disorder. Subtype of Alzheimer's disease patients seemed to have frontal release behaviour. Conclusion. - Wandering is a common behaviour in Alzheimer's disease patients living in the community. Special care must be organized to help those frail patients and their caregivers. (C) 2003 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.