Traveling Tips: Seniors with Dementia

1
Traveling Tips Seniors with Dementia
2

• While traveling with someone who has dementia can
  be difficult, someone with Alzheimer's or
  dementia can still participate in activities like
  traveling with proper planning and care. People
  with dementia often struggle with changes in
  routine, new environments, noise, and fatigue.
  Most dementia patients do best with a routine
  that instills a sense of safety and confidence.
  Most people find traveling to be exciting or
  enjoyable, but it can be a confusing, stressful,
  and exhausting experience for someone who is
  cognitively impaired. The following tips will
  help you make travel safer and more enjoyable for
  a loved one with dementia.

3
Take precautions against wandering

• A new environment and the stress that comes with
  it can trigger wandering, even in seniors in the
  early stages of Alzheimer's. Make sure your loved
  one isn't left unguarded and consider enrolling
  in a GPS program like Comfort Zone that helps you
  remotely monitor your loved one's location or
  alerts you if your loved one wanders too far.
  Register your loved one with a local safe return
  program and make sure your loved one wears an ID
  tag.

4
Keep essentials on hand

• Keep a bag of essentials close by with
  medication, a travel itinerary, a change of
  clothing, activities, snacks, and water.
  Activities that may help distract your loved one
  from t he confusion and noise include audio books
  with comfortable headphones and photo albums.
  Make sure you have your loved one's medical
  information, emergency contact information, and
  copies of important documents as well. If you
  plan to fly, make sure all essentials are kept in
  a carry-on bag.

5
Keep everything as familiar as possible

• Seniors with dementia do best when they are in a
  familiar setting. While this can be challenging
  when you're on the road or flying, do your best
  to keep things familiar. You can do this by
  bringing your loved one's favorite pillow and
  sticking to normal bedtimes and lunch times. If
  possible, stick with travel options your loved
  one is already familiar with. For example, avoid
  introducing him or her to flying for the first
  time if you can avoid it.

6
Plan a detailed itinerary

• As you plan your travel itinerary, try to
  anticipate everything that will happen and your
  loved one's potential responses. Consider the
  average day and remember that the experience will
  be more challenging than usual. If you will stay
  with family members or friends, let them know
  ahead of time what they can expect. Contact the
  hotel and airline to make arrangements for needs.
  Even if your loved one normally walks, a
  wheelchair waiting at the airport may be helpful
  to avoid the stress of a long day of walking
  through terminals.

7
Be realistic about your expectations

• Carefully consider your loved one's strengths and
  limitations before planning travel. It's also
  important to be realistic about your own
  limitations. If you are traveling alone with your
  loved one, will you be able to keep up if he or
  she wanders away or can't fall asleep at the
  hotel? If possible, have another companion
  accompany you for help. Have a discussion with
  your loved one's doctor for recommendations about
  what you can expect. The physician may also
  recommend certain medications like anti-anxiety
  medication to make the trip easier.

8
Keep travel plans as simple as possible

• Sticking with known travel destinations that
  involve few changes to your loved one's routine
  as best. Regardless of where your travel takes
  you, attempt to keep plans simple. Avoid flights
  that require tight connections as you cannot
  anticipate how your loved one will react in the
  airport. Stick with as few flight changes and
  layovers as possible with drive time or flight
  time limited to four hours or less, when
  possible.

9
Contact us

• Home Care Assistance is the most renowned name in
  the industry of Home Care. We are a dedicated
  team, focused on providing the best and finest
  Caregiving options to the seniors of Fort Myers.
• For more information, contact us at (239)
  449-4701.
• Web http//www.homecareassistancefortmyers.com/