Wandering behavior and attempted exits among residents diagnosed with dementia-related illnesses: a qualitative approach.

Exiting attempts and wandering behavior among residents diagnosed with dementia-related illnesses were investigated. Residents were exposed to three test conditions: a mini-blind that concealed the view from the door, a cloth panel that concealed the panic bar of the door, and both the mini-blind and the cloth panel. During these test conditions, qualitative observations were conducted in addition to recording the attempted exits. The purpose of this paper is to present the qualitative findings in relationship to a model developed. The findings suggests that residents seemed to exit due to goal-orientation, exit-seeking behaviors, and attraction to the panic bar.