My wife has severe dementia. Lately, sometimes in the middle of the night while I am sleeping, she will leave the apartment and wander the corridor. At least once she walked into another resident's apartment and bedroom and woke her up. The resident kindly led her back to our apartment. This is an independent living senior residence. The apartment doors can be locked to keep people out, but cannot be locked to keep people in (fire laws). I'm looking for ideas on how to keep my wife home and out of trouble while I am sleeping. Thank you.
Have you asked management about any steps you could take? Since it's a senior complex, they should already know how to handle this.
There wasn't much we could do when my grandfather started wandering. A few times he walked out in the middle of the night.
One thing that did help: Installing an alarm to where it would beep-- not a siren, just a loud beep-- whenever it was opened. My grandmother would hear it and know to go get him.
We got him an ID bracelet with his address too.
You're lucky she wandered into an apartment where someone realized she was confused. I'd be worried she won't be so lucky with another person!