The act of wandering is called wandering : moving without direction or direction . The concept can be associated with the notion of loitering . For example: "For security reasons, wandering through the corridors is prohibited in this sector of the hospital" , "The wandering of stray dogs bothers some neighbors, who demand measures from the government" , "The elderly man, affected by Alzheimer, left his house in the morning and began a wandering that lasted for more than ten hours, until he was found by his son .
The idea of wandering is frequently used in the field of medicine to refer to the action that a person performs when walking aimlessly . This is a problem suffered by individuals with mental disorders, such as Alzheimer's or senile dementia .
These patients experience the need to walk and that is why they may wander around the place where they are or even go outside to continue moving, even when they are not going anywhere in particular. The behavior poses a risk since the subject can get lost and put themselves in danger.
This disorder is characterized by exaggerated and continuous movements, but in each person it can have its own patterns: for example, some manifest it without the presence of anxiety , walking in circles or going from one point to another; others, however, move nervously, as if they wanted to stop but couldn't.
Especially in this last group of patients, their relatives often feel deep anxiety about wandering and do not know how to act to help them without worsening the situation. Generally, they seek to convince them to stay in the house without it seeming like an imposition, or to calm them to prevent anxiety from reaching a dangerous level.
To adequately treat wandering in these people, it is necessary to take into account the risks involved in each case: when it occurs inside the house, the fundamental point is to prevent them from becoming distressed and frustrated; If they go outside , the situation is potentially more serious, since they could get lost, suffer a car accident or armed robbery, among other possibilities.
In people with Alzheimer's disease, wandering can also appear as a result of excessive noise or light, among other auditory and visual stimuli . On the other hand, it can also arise from the total absence of stimuli, something that leads to boredom or even the need to find someone to talk to.
A person's type of gait can also be called ambulation: that is, how they walk. Normal ambulation involves the control and coordination of movements in an active manner, with voluntary movement and according to the decided trajectory. Various organic disorders, however, can alter ambulation and cause the individual to have his movements limited or unable to control them.
Elderly people usually have different walking disorders, although in many cases age is not the direct cause or does not even have a relationship with them. To treat this particular series of problems, it is customary to increase motor activity through different therapies.
Given that most people learn to walk in a short time and without any problem, it is not normal for us to pay attention to each of the phenomena and mechanisms that are put into action during ambulation. Unfortunately, as we age, everything becomes more difficult for us, and this includes the seemingly simple action of walking; When natural wear and tear is combined with illness, there is usually a regression to a lack of autonomy .