CDP Safety & Wandering Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caregiver finds a person with dementia missing from the home. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Wait 30 minutes to see if the person returns on their own
- Call 911 immediately and report the person as a missing vulnerable adult (Correct answer)
- Search the neighborhood alone before contacting authorities
- Notify the family physician before calling police
Correct answer: Call 911 immediately and report the person as a missing vulnerable adult
Immediate contact with 911 is critical because persons with dementia who elope are at high risk of injury or death within hours.
Question 2: Which factor most significantly increases the risk of elopement in a person with dementia?
- Advanced age above 85
- History of previous elopement attempts (Correct answer)
- Diagnosis of vascular dementia specifically
- Presence of a live-in caregiver
Correct answer: History of previous elopement attempts
A history of prior elopement is the strongest predictor of future elopement attempts.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'Safe Return' program such as the Alzheimer's Association's MedicAlert program?
- To provide financial assistance for memory care placement
- To register persons with dementia so they can be identified and returned if found (Correct answer)
- To monitor medication compliance in community settings
- To alert families when a care facility reports a fall
Correct answer: To register persons with dementia so they can be identified and returned if found
Safe Return/MedicAlert programs provide identification bracelets and a registry to help locate and return wandering individuals.
Question 4: During a care plan meeting, the team discusses securing a home for a person with dementia who wanders at night. Which modification addresses nighttime-specific risk?
- Installing motion-sensor lights in the kitchen
- Placing door alarms that sound when exterior doors are opened at night (Correct answer)
- Rearranging furniture in the living room
- Scheduling daytime naps to reduce nighttime energy
Correct answer: Placing door alarms that sound when exterior doors are opened at night
Door alarms specifically alert caregivers to nighttime exit attempts, the highest-risk period for nocturnal wanderers.
Question 5: Which communication approach is MOST appropriate when redirecting a person with dementia who is attempting to wander?
- Firmly tell the person they are confused and cannot leave
- Use a calm, reassuring tone and offer a meaningful alternative activity (Correct answer)
- Ignore the behavior to avoid reinforcing it
- Ask the person to explain why they want to leave
Correct answer: Use a calm, reassuring tone and offer a meaningful alternative activity
Calm redirection with a meaningful alternative addresses the unmet need without confrontation or argument.
Question 6: A home safety assessment for a person with dementia who wanders should prioritize securing which area first?
- The bathroom to prevent falls
- All exits including doors and gates leading to outside (Correct answer)
- The kitchen to prevent stove use
- Windows on upper floors
Correct answer: All exits including doors and gates leading to outside
Securing all exits is the primary intervention for wandering prevention because unsupervised egress leads to elopement risk.
Question 7: Which statement accurately describes the relationship between Alzheimer's disease stage and wandering risk?
- Wandering risk is highest in late-stage dementia when mobility declines
- Wandering is most prevalent in mild dementia when insight is preserved
- Risk is greatest in mid-stage dementia when mobility remains but judgment is impaired (Correct answer)
- Wandering occurs only in early-stage dementia before significant cognitive decline
Correct answer: Risk is greatest in mid-stage dementia when mobility remains but judgment is impaired
Mid-stage dementia presents the highest wandering risk because the person retains physical mobility but lacks the judgment to navigate safely.
CDP Safety & Wandering Prevention 3
A caregiver finds a person with dementia missing from the home.
What is the FIRST action to take?