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Wandering has become a concern

When staying home stops being viable, and what a secured memory care unit actually requires in your state.

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When staying home stops being viable, and what a secured memory care unit actually requires in your state.

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Home›By Situation›Wandering has become a concern

Exit-seeking changes the calculation more than almost any other symptom, because it converts a supervision problem into a safety one.

Short answer

When staying home stops being viable, and what a secured memory care unit actually requires in your state.

What to do, in order

  1. Recognise what has changed. Exit-seeking converts a supervision problem into a safety one.
  2. Take practical steps immediately. Door alarms, secured exits, and enrolment in a wandering-response program.
  3. Understand Indiana's requirement. Indiana requires a written Alzheimer's and Dementia Special Care Disclosure under IC 12-10-5.5, not a separate state certification -- ask to see the document itself.
  4. Ask specific questions on tours. How are exits secured, what happens when a resident tries a door, what is the overnight staffing ratio inside the secured unit specifically.

Questions families ask

Which Indianapolis-area hospital systems most often discharge patients to senior care?

IU Health, Ascension St. Vincent, Community Health Network, Franciscan Health and Eskenazi Health handle the bulk of Indianapolis-area discharge planning, alongside Hendricks Regional Health, Riverview Health, and Hancock Regional Health in the collar counties.

Can I push back on a hospital discharge date?

Yes, and it is usually less fixed than it sounds, particularly if no safe plan exists yet. Ask the case manager directly what happens if no placement is confirmed by the target date, and involve the hospital's patient advocate if the timeline feels unsafe.

How do I know when it's no longer safe for a parent to live alone?

Look for specific, dated incidents rather than a general impression: a missed medication week, an unreported fall, the stove left on, or a house that has become unsafe rather than merely untidy. Rule out reversible causes first -- a urinary tract infection, medication interaction, or untreated hearing loss can all mimic decline.

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