Non‐pharmacological management of wandering in persons with dementia: an integrative review

Abstract Background Wandering behaviour affects a significant portion of dementia patients, ranging from 15% to 80%, presenting a serious safety concern and adding to caregivers' burden. Recent studies emphasise the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological interventions over pharmacological ones due to their minimal side effects. Consequently, in current literature there has been a surge of interest in exploring non‐pharmacological methods for managing wandering. Purpose This integrative literature review aims to deepen comprehension of wandering behaviour, presents recent studies on non‐pharmacological approaches, and inspires further research in this field. Methods Electronic data collection spanned from 2019 to 2024, sourcing 20 relevant articles from PubMed and Scopus databases using search terms such as ‘dementia’, ‘Alzheimer's disease’, ‘wandering’, and ‘management’. A thematic analysis methodology was employed to identify non‐pharmacological treatment themes for managing wandering. This approach involves scrutinising and synthesising themes within the dataset. Qualitative data analysis focused on significant phrases and keywords, grouping them to derive relevant themes. Results Recent literature extensively explores non‐pharmacological methods for managing wandering. These include understanding behaviours, identifying and targeting high‐risk groups, facilitating safe wandering, addressing environmental factors, promoting exercise and activity, and offering caregiver support. Conclusions This study significantly advances understanding of wandering behaviour and highlights recent research on non‐pharmacological interventions. The findings suggest the potential for providing safe and effective treatment to wandering dementia patients, thereby alleviating stress for both patients and caregivers.