stage: 3

'I want to go home' — what it means when someone with dementia says this, even from their own house

The desire to go home, even when the person is already at home, is most common in the middle stages of dementia, around stages 4 to 5. At this point the person may be experiencing significant disorientation in time and place. When they say they want to go home, they are often not referring to the physical building but to a feeling of safety, familiarity, and emotional comfort associated with an earlier period in their life. Arguing or pointing out that they are already home rarely helps and can cause distress. Acknowledging the feeling, providing reassurance, and gently redirecting attention is a more effective approach.