The Interrelatedness of Wandering and Wayfinding in a Community Sample of Persons with Dementia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of wandering and wayfinding and validate the Revised Algase Wandering Scale – Community Version (RAWS-CV) using a community sample of persons with dementia. Adult caregivers (n = 266) completed the RAWS-CV and the Wayfinding Effectiveness Scale...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders 2004-01, Vol.17 (3), p.231-239
Main Authors: Algase, Donna L., Son, Gwi-Ryung, Beattie, Elizabeth, Song, Jun-Ah, Leitsch, Sara, Yao, Lan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Behavior - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Caregivers
Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases
Dementia
Dementia - psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurology
Neuropsychological Tests
Orientation - physiology
Original Research Article
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Socioeconomic Factors
Space Perception - physiology
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Summary:The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of wandering and wayfinding and validate the Revised Algase Wandering Scale – Community Version (RAWS-CV) using a community sample of persons with dementia. Adult caregivers (n = 266) completed the RAWS-CV and the Wayfinding Effectiveness Scale (WES). Four aspects of wandering were confirmed (persistent walking, repetitive walking, spatial disorientation, eloping behavior), and two new aspects were also validated (negative outcomes, mealtime impulsivity). The spatial disorientation subscale of the RAWS-CV had significant (p < 0.01) negative correlations with all WES subscales. The global strategies and simple wayfinding goals subscales of the WES correlated significantly with all RAWS-CV subscales except repetitive walking and mealtime impulsivity. ANOVAs comparing wayfinding at 4 levels of wandering revealed differences only for the simple wayfinding goals subscale. Studies examining the relationship of wandering and wayfinding at various levels of cognitive impairment are suggested to further understand these phenomena.
ISSN:1420-8008
1421-9824
DOI:10.1159/000076361