Strategies to enable safe wandering among persons living with dementia (July 28, 2026)

Presented by: Dr. Noelannah Neubauer  

Three in five persons with dementia will wander and become lost (Alzheimer Society of Canada, 2013; Neubauer et al., 2018). The number of missing person incidences involving this population will increase as Canada’s population ages. Occupational therapists play a vital role in identifying solutions that will enable those at risk of getting lost to live in their home of choice. This webinar will describe the existing best practices occupational therapists can use to manage dementia-related wandering behaviours and the risks associated with getting lost and going missing. In addition, a recently developed digital guide that highlights the importance of balancing independence with safety when addressing this issue will be shared.

After taking part in this webinar, participants will be able to: 

1. Identify the existing high- and low-tech strategies that are being used to keep people with dementia at risk of getting lost safe.
2. Determine what factors influence the successful adoption of wander-management strategies among caregivers and persons with dementia.
3. Discover a newly developed digital guide that provides a collection of educational information, strategies, and case studies that can be tailored to each person’s unique situation.

Level  Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Area of practice Dementia

Client age group Adults (20-64 years old), Older adults (65+ years old)