Behaviour & Distress
Dementia and “I want to go home”: what can I say?
Wanting to go home may express a need for familiarity or safety, even at home. Recognising that feeling can sometimes help more than correcting facts. Reassurance differs for each person. Sudden confusion may need medical attention. This is educational guidance.
You could try: “What do you miss about home? I’ll sit with you.”
Hugo is the guide inside The Dementia Assistant, helping you explore dementia questions in more detail.
General educational guidance, not individual medical advice or an emergency service.
Explore this question with Hugo on The Dementia Assistant®. Hugo can help you consider the topic in more detail: “A person with dementia keeps saying they want to go home. What might they be trying to communicate, and what should I say or do?”