Abstract
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) often experience wandering behavior, characterized by aimless or purposeless movement. Wandering has been associated with falls, caregiver burden, and nursing home placement. Despite the substantial clinical consequences of wandering, there is currently no standardized approach to objectively quantify wandering behavior. In this pilot study, we used a lightweight inertial sensor to examine at-home mobility characteristics of a small group of older adults with ADRD and mild cognitive impairment. Participants wore the sensor for ≥4 days, and turning frequency and direction changes were measured given that frequent turns and direction changes during walking are seen in patients who wander. We found that all 12 patients were able to wear the sensor yielding quantitative turn data including #turns/time, mean turn duration, mean turn speed, and mean turn angle. We compare these data to similar data obtained in healthy older adults, and discuss future directions.
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