Exploring the impact of care home environments and culture on supporting residents to “wander” safely

Background

Up to 60% of people with dementia living in care homes will ‘wander’ at some point, which has typically been seen by staff as a problematic behaviour. A range of non-pharmacological interventions have been tested to either support or prevent wandering. However, even recent innovative practice continues to maintain a focus on reducing or preventing wandering. This study aimed to identify, for the first time, care home staff perspectives on home level factors that facilitate or hinder them supporting residents to wander safely.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 care home staff, working in the North of England. Framework analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

A range of environmental considerations were identified by staff. Care home design influenced how residents were able to move safely around, and inclusion of points of interest encouraged walking to different locations, such as a garden. Staff worried about managing access to other residents’ rooms by people who wander. Within the care home culture, prioritising safe staffing levels, training and awareness, involving external healthcare professionals where required and mentorship from experienced staff members, all contributed towards safe wandering. Staff support for positive risk-taking within the care home was key to promote person-centred care, alongside careful oversight and management of relationships between residents.

Conclusions

We identified a range of cultural and environmental factors that contribute towards safe wandering. A positive approach to risk-taking by staff is required to support residents to engage in wandering as an enjoyable activity, whilst acknowledging that there are inherent risks associated with this.