For a person with dementia, a change of surroundings can be very alarming. We can only second-guess why, but there are a range of possible scenarios.
They may be taken somewhere they used to enjoy going, but no longer really recognise it. They realise that they *should* know where they are, but the fact that they don’t, is frightening.
They may remember a place as it was when they were a child, and decades of changes will be disorientating.
The brain starts to process sensory input differently. Busy or noisy places like towns or cafes, or with lots of movement like traffic or even leaves on trees in the wind, can be overwhelming. Even something as simple as walking along a flat pavement won’t necessarily be easy, if the person with dementia perceives obstacles in their way that the rest of us can’t see.
In addition, the person with dementia may not remember going out even minutes after returning, so there will be no lasting beneficial impact on their happiness. When I ring every evening, my Mum always tells me she’s bored and has been sitting in a chair “vegetating” on her own all day. This is even when I know Dad’s taken her out for lunch and my brother or nephews have visited. Dad takes her out because we’re desperate to keep her mobile, and she’s inclined to refuse food at home when she eats better in a cafe. In all honesty, it’s not about her enjoying herself or being stimulated. It’s a strategy for her physical wellbeing.
It will be different for everyone, but generally, in later phases, keeping surroundings as familiar as possible can be less distressing.
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