Written by Mike Price, OT
Some common reasons patients wander are confusion about where they are, delusions about what responsibility they have in their lives, escape from a real or imagined threat, and agitation, boredom, or restlessness. Whatever sets the patient off on an escape route, Alzheimer’s and dementia wander safety products can help keep the patient where they need to be to remain safe and comfortable.
It's common for a person living with dementia to wander or be confused about their location. As scary as that is for a caregiver who can’t find a patient, it’s even more frightening for the patient, who might truly not have any idea where they are as things slowly become less and less familiar to them.
Factors to consider when choosing an alarm to address wandering in patients with dementia include the physical and mental condition of the patient, who they share their living space with, the sound level needed to alert a caretaker while not disturbing others or scaring a patient, and how adept the patient is at disabling or getting around an alarm device. Whether in a home care or clinical setting, dementia patients and their caregivers can benefit from the extra level of protection provided by these devices.
If a patient with dementia is at risk of wandering or falling, an alarm can alert a caregiver when action is needed. An alarm that sounds when a person opens a door or window can help prevent them from leaving a safe area and exposing themselves to danger. An alarm notifying a caregiver that a patient has gotten up from a toilet or a wheelchair or sat up in bed can summon assistance to mitigate the risk of a fall.
The care setting can impact which alarm is most appropriate. Some alarms sound at nursing stations so the noise doesn’t disturb other patients who are trying to sleep.
Many alarm tones can be loud and jarring, which can be very upsetting for dementia patients who can startle easily. Some alarms allow for recording soothing voice prompts that direct the patient back to bed.
Some anti-wandering alarms have one end attached to a bed or chair and the other end clipped to a patient’s clothing. They are activated when their movement disconnects the two elements. Others are mounted on door frames or windows or are placed on seats or on the ground. Whether they go with the patient or are in a fixed location, most are easy to install.
Even if their memory is fading and they are sometimes confused, dementia patients often have the cognitive ability to figure out how to outsmart an alarm. If a patient has figured out how to unclip an alarm from their clothing and leave it behind or step over a floor pad sensor, alarms that are out of reach or that they can’t disable are the best options.
If a user struggles with incontinence, alarms that don’t have a pressure sensor they sit on or something that goes across their lap will work the best and be the most comfortable.
Patient safety alarms come in many forms. All are designed to alert a caregiver when a dementia patient moves unsupervised, which can lead to the patient getting into an unsafe situation through a fall or wandering, or both.
If there is any risk of someone wandering away from safety, or into spaces that could pose a threat of injury because of a fall or some other safety issue, a patient safety alarm will mitigate the risk and minimize the probability of an injury or worse.
Some alarms are attached to a piece of equipment or furniture, and some are attached to the patient. The best patient safety alarm for your situation will transmit the appropriate signal for a caregiver to intervene or remind the patient to stay put. It will also be something the patient cannot disable.
Yes, and they are a big help to home caregivers because you do not have to sit by the patient's bed or stand outside their bedroom on high alert. It frees up caregivers to take care of other tasks while the patient is asleep, alerting if assistance is needed because the patient exited the bed.
Bed alarm systems can reduce falls by alerting personnel when at-risk patients attempt to leave a bed without assistance. They can also get the attention of the patient to stop them from trying to get out of bed unassisted or remind them they need to be extra careful when getting out of bed.
Posey Alarms provide notification when a fall-risk patient attempts to rise without caregiver assistance. They have prerecorded messages so patients might hear family members speaking to them advising them not to get out of bed, or they can translate a soothing message into the patient’s native language.
Bed exit alarms warn caregivers, and in some cases patients themselves, when a patient leaves or attempts to leave the bed. They can be patient-worn or they can be pressure-sensitive pads that go off when a patient moves. They warn the caregiver that the patient has changed position and is about to leave the bed, alert the caregiver that the patient has already left the bed, and remind the patient they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.
Yes. If wandering is an issue, a chair alarm will notify a caregiver a patient is on the move. If falling is a consideration, chair alarms work best if a caregiver is close by, even if their attention is on something else. This type of alarm will give someone close enough to the patient time to be at their side to prevent a possible fall should they choose to get up from a chair.
A wheelchair alarm helps to monitor the activity of someone seated in a wheelchair. Typically, these alarms are either magnetic like a safety belt or clothing clip alarms, or they combine with a sensor or pad such as a seat alarm that detects a reduction in pressure and alerts when a patient tries to leave the chair.
Fall detection devices use accelerometers, a type of radio wave technology sensor, to monitor movement. The fall alert detectors can measure when the user has suddenly fallen by detecting abrupt changes in body movements. The technology can evaluate an individual’s body position, physical activity, and the smoothness of acceleration of movements. If it’s determined these variables are within the danger zone, a fall alert will be sounded.
 | Smart Caregiver Bed Alarm - CordLess® Alert Systems View Product |
 | Skil-Care BedPro UnderMattress Alarm System View Product |
A bed alarm, some of which goes under the mattress and some of which goes over the mattress, is sometimes appropriate for use with chairs too. This anti-wandering alarm allows a caregiver to monitor the activity and position of a patient. With sensors that detect a reduction of pressure when patients get up, bed alarms will go off when someone is no longer sitting or lying on the bed.
 | Skil-Care Gel-Foam Toilet Seat Cushion Alarm System View Product |
 | Posey Toilet Seat Sensor View Product |
Toilet alarms reduce the risk of injuries due to an unassisted exit from the toilet. Pressure is activated, and as soon as someone rises from the toilet, the alarm will sound.
 | Smart Caregiver Wireless Patient Chair Alarm with Pager View Product |
 | Skil-Care UnderSeat Alarm System View Product |
 | Smart Caregiver CordLess® Chair Alarm System View Product |
A wheelchair alarm has a sensor that is pressure-activated. When there is a reduction in pressure on the sensor from someone leaving the wheelchair’s seat, the alarm sounds. This alarm will alert to someone falling out of or getting up from the wheelchair. One design has the chair sensor or pad on top of the seat, while another kind (better for incontinent users) has the sensor placed under the seat.
Not all falls can be prevented. When they happen, assistance arriving sooner rather than later can make a big difference in outcomes. A fall detection device acts as a personal alert safety system, determining when a fall has occurred, and connecting the user with help. A patient can summon help with the push of a button on a pendant, while this helpful device can make the call for assistance on the user’s behalf if they are unable to do so. For anyone at risk of a fall, this equipment provides peace of mind while helping maintain independence, knowing help will be on the way if it’s needed.
.jpg&newwidth=365&maxheight=200 "Smart Caregiver Door Alarm Exit Alert System") | Smart Caregiver Door Alarm Exit Alert System View Product |
 | Stop Strip Door Alarm System View Product |
A wandering alarm for dementia patients on a door significantly reduces the risk of a patient leaving a building and becoming endangered when disoriented or lost. With one part of a magnetic door alarm attached to the door frame and the other attached to the door. When the connection between the two parts is broken, an alarm will sound indicating the door has been opened. Alarms can also be attached to cupboard or closet doors to deter access to areas that are off-limits because of safety concerns.
 | Skil-Care Door and Window Alarm with Magnetic Strip View Product |
The best window alarms have the versatility to allow the window to open a bit for ventilation and fresh air without setting off the alarm. These work with sensors that are attached via a short wire. The window can be opened or closed, as long as the distance the window raises and lowers is less than the length of the wire.
 | Skil-Care Seat Belt Alarm System View Product |
A wheelchair alarm belt resembles a car seatbelt and alerts a caregiver when a patient is about to leave the wheelchair. It goes off when the belt is unfastened, providing some advance warning before the patient gets out of the chair. It can be the difference between preventing a fall and arriving after it has happened.
 | Smart Caregiver Floor Alarm Mat with Pager View Product |
An alarmed floor mat next to a chair or bed will alert a caregiver when a patient gets up from a chair or gets out of bed unexpectedly and steps onto the mat. The weight on the mat triggers the pressure sensors to set off the alarm so a caregiver knows to come to help a patient attempting to move unassisted.
 | Advantage Magnetic Safety Alarm by Medline View Product |
 | Drive Medical Tamper-Proof Magnetic Pull Cord Alarm View Product |
Wearable patient alarms come in a variety of styles with one part of the alarm attached to a bed, chair, or wheelchair and the other part attached to the patient. If the patient goes on the move, the pull switch engages the alarm to signal a caregiver that the patient has moved away from the alarmed chair, bed, or wheelchair. These alarms might be a clip to the patient’s clothing, they could be magnets, or they could have a pull string.
 | Skil-Care Lift-Off Lap Cushion Alarm System View Product |
Providing a useful lap cushion for a patient seated in a wheelchair, this alarm will sound if the patient tries to make an unplanned exit from the chair. This non-restrictive patient safety alarm system is ideal for use where restraint reduction is the goal. It is secured by hook-and-loop fasteners. When they are unfastened, the alarm sounds. No sensor or sensor strips are required.
Six in ten people with dementia will wander at least once, and many do it repeatedly, as they lose their ability to recognize familiar places and people. Wandering can be extremely dangerous, so the risk cannot be ignored. Patient Safety Alarms are a valuable tool to ensure dementia patients remain in a comfortable and safe environment.
If leaving a building is the greatest concern, a door frame model will suit your situation well. If getting up unassisted from a bed or a toilet presents an additional fall risk, a pressure-sensitive alarm is a good choice. If a patient is transferred multiple times a day, an alarm that clips to their clothing and attaches to the seat or bed they’re in means they can take this safety precaution with them no matter where they are. Whether being cared for at home or in a hospital or care home setting, there is an alarm that can help keep them safe.
Thank you for reading about choosing the best Alzheimer's and dementia wander safety products! Visit Caregiver University for more helpful articles with information on providing the best care for aging loved ones and patients.
Co-Founder of Rehabmart and an Occupational Therapist since 1993. Mike has spent his professional career working in multiple areas of Occupational Therapy, including pediatrics, geriatrics, hand therapy, ergonomics and inpatient / outpatient rehabilitation. Mike enjoys writing articles that help people solve complex therapeutic problems and make better product choices.
