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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Published on: February 8, 2019
[Wandering behavior in Korean elders with dementia residing in nursing homes]
Jun-Ah Song1, Young Mi Lim, Gwi-Ryung Son Hong
1College of Nursing, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
This study investigated various factors related to wandering behavior of Korean elders with dementia (KED).
Methods:
A sample of 160 ambulatory residents with dementia from 14 long term care facilities was used to examine demographic, individual, cognitive, physical health, and environmental characteristics by comparing wanderers (N=108) to nonwanders (N=52). Subjects were evaluated by Korean versions of the Mini-mental State Exam (K-MMSE), the Physical and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (K-PIADL), and the Revised Algase Wandering Scale Nursing Home version (KRAWS-NH) along its six dimensions. Demographic and environmental data were also obtained. Independent sample t-tests, Chi-square test, Fisher's Exact tests, and ANCOVAs were used to examine differences between wanderers and nonwanders.
Results:
Wanderers were significantly (p<.05) older and had more limitations in K-PADL and K-IADL. The degree of overall wandering and certain features of wandering were significantly different (p<.05) by total number of residents in the facility, type of bedroom (i.e., "Ondol"), and color of bedroom and living-room walls (i.e., sky blue).
Conclusions:
Findings of this study may be useful in understanding wandering behavior of KEDs and thus developing more culturally specific management strategies.
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