Reducing wandering by persons with dementia using differential reinforcement.

Four nursing-home residents with dementia kept walking into unsafe areas.

The team used DRO — they gave each person their favorite snack, music, or activity every 15 minutes they did NOT wander.

They flipped the plan on and off four times to be sure the change was real.

Wandering dropped sharply every time DRO was in place.

When the team stopped DRO, wandering came back.

When they brought DRO back, wandering fell again — for all four residents.

Charlop et al. (1985) ran a tiny lab society and showed the same rule: reward the absence of a problem and the problem fades.

Kodak et al. (2003) used a cousin called DNRO and also cut problem behavior, but they used break time instead of snacks.

Phillips et al. (2019) added DRO as a backup when breathing exercises failed — another sign DRO is a solid tool.

Einfeld et al. (1996) simply described wandering in dementia; Buitelaar et al. (1999) actually fixed it.

If you work with adults who wander, try DRO. Pick a reinforcer you know they love, set a timer for 15 minutes, and deliver it only if they stay in the safe zone. You can start Monday morning with one client and see fewer unsafe exits by lunch.