National Wandering Awareness Day – October 15th
What Is National Wandering Awareness Day?
National Wandering Awareness Day is October 15th to raise awareness about the risks of wandering in people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Wandering is unpredictable, and it can happen even in people who seem unable to walk far or manage daily tasks.
This day was created to educate families, promote solutions, and empower caregivers to build a personalized safety plan before a wandering emergency happens.
Why Wandering Awareness Matters
Wandering is one of the most dangerous yet misunderstood symptoms of dementia. It’s not about “bad behavior” or neglect — it’s about brain changes that affect memory, judgment, and spatial awareness.
National Wandering Awareness Day helps caregivers understand that:
- A proactive plan makes your home safer and brings peace of mind
- Wandering can happen even when someone needs help with everyday tasks
- Simple tools like GPS trackers, smart locks, and exit alerts can save lives
Build Your Wandering Safety Plan
Creating a personalized safety plan – Use this 4-step guide to begin:
Step 1: Know the Risk
Take the Wandering Risk Assessment to learn how likely your loved one is to wander — and why even low-mobility individuals can be at risk.
Step 2: Start Simple
Based on the risk level of the person, choose one or two tools, such as:
- Smart locks on exterior doors
- Motion-triggered lights or cameras
- Bluetooth beacons or tags for early alerts
Step 3: Layer Over Time
As your loved one’s needs change, add tools like:
- Wearable GPS trackers
- Bed or door alarms
- Voice assistants that guide or respond to movement
Step 4: Customize and Commit
Use what you’ve learned to build a plan tailored to your home and care situation.
Start small, stay flexible, and revisit your safety setup every few months.
Picture Them Home – A Biannual Safety Photo Reminder
Wandering emergencies move fast. Having a current photo can make a big difference.
Here’s the habit to start:
Take a new photo of your loved one twice a year:
- October 15 – National Wandering Awareness Day
- April 15 – Tax Day (because the best returns are the ones that come home)
How to Participate in National Wandering Awareness Day
Whether you care for someone at home, work in a senior care setting, or support aging safety in your community, here are meaningful ways to participate in National Wandering Awareness Day:
- Set a Safety Photo Reminder – Take a photo of your loved one and set recurring reminders for April 15 and October 15. It’s a quick, life-saving habit that helps care teams and responders identify and locate your loved one more quickly if they go missing.
- Share the Message – On social media, Post a wandering safety tip, a story, or a photo using #WanderingAwarenessDay. Your voice helps reduce stigma and spread awareness.
- Learn Something New
- Learn about Wandering Risk and Prevention
- Read about how technology can provide support
- Learn how to prepare for a wandering event and how to complete the Wandering Prep Kit
- Talk About It – Wandering is hard to talk about, which is exactly why it matters. Use this day to have honest, caring conversations with family, friends, or clients about building a safer home together.
- Build or Review a Safety Plan – Use the 4-step tech plan above to start fresh, or make one small improvement to what you already have in place.
Stay in the Loop for Wandering Awareness Day
We’ll send you helpful tools, reminders, and ideas as October 15 approaches — plus tips for raising awareness and promoting wandering safety in your community.
🧩 While this awareness day focuses on dementia-related wandering, individuals with autism are also at high risk. Many of the tools and strategies shared here, like photo reminders, GPS devices, and exit alerts, are also used by families supporting loved ones with autism. For autism-specific wandering resources, visit awaare.org.