Besides gifts, decorations and favorite foods, the holiday season means travel. This is stressful enough when you’re able-bodied and juggling your everyday responsibilities. When you’re the caregiver of a senior with dementia, the idea of traveling can seem downright impossible.
Whether you’re crossing the country to see family or simply driving across town for a gathering with friends, it’s important to think about the challenges and potential benefits travel can present for your loved one with dementia. A diagnosis of dementia doesn’t mean that a person can’t travel. In fact, while in the early stages, it might be a good idea to do as much traveling as possible while your loved one enjoys it. Travel is still possible in the later stages as well, but you’ll have additional factors to take into consideration in order to keep everyone safe and secure.
First Things First: Is It Still Safe for Your Loved One to Travel?
Before packing your suitcase and programming your GPS, the first thing to consider is whether or not your loved one with dementia will be able to travel safely. It’s important to evaluate their capacity honestly before you make a decision.
Even if your loved one is ‘fine’ at home in their routine, that doesn’t mean that travel will go smoothly. By taking them out of their element and comfort zone, problematic behaviors like agitation, outbursts or wandering could increase. The safety of you and your loved one should always be the highest priority, which may mean changing your travel plans or foregoing travel altogether.
Here are six questions to ask yourself to determine if your loved one will be able to travel successfully:
- How advanced are your loved one’s dementia symptoms? Is your loved one in the early or mid-stage of dementia? What are their biggest issues and triggers?
- How well are you dealing with everything? Are you able to handle your loved one’s needs by yourself? Are you stressed or stretched to your limits? Can you tackle any issues that arise during travel?
- How does your loved one do in confusing, crowded or loud situations? Does he or she withdraw, become agitated or otherwise have an adverse reaction? Is he or she still able to carry on conversations with loved ones?
- Is this trip worth it? Are you visiting family members you see on a regular basis, or will there be people you haven’t seen in a while? Is this the first big holiday after your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia?
- Where will you be going, and how are you planning to get there? How long will the trip be? How much planning will you need to do in order to make sure you pull it off?
- Will you have a support system available to help? If you’re visiting family, are there people available who can help shoulder some of the burden? Will you be traveling by yourself and be the sole caretaker for your loved one?
There’s no right or wrong answer to any of these questions, and determining whether travel is a yes or no will be different for each individual. Take your time and weigh your options. As yourself, “What’s the worst thing that will happen if this trip doesn’t take place? What are the benefits?”
Tips for Safe Travels
Once you’ve decided to go ahead with a trip, the next thing you have to figure out is how you’ll get there. Will you drive? Take the train or a plane? Whenever possible, go for the mode of travel that is the most comfortable for your loved one. Here are some additional things to think about:
- New environments can trigger wandering in individuals with dementia. Be sure your loved one has an ID bracelet and consider enrolling in an emergency response service like MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®.
- Research the area where you will be going. Where is the closest hospital? What type of medical support is available? Will your insurance be accepted?
- Carry a bag of essentials: snacks and water, fun activities, a change of clothes, medications and your travel itinerary. You’ll also want to have a list of emergency contacts, any necessary medical information and photocopies of legal documents like power of attorney.
- If you’ll be staying overnight at a family member’s home, inform people beforehand of your loved one’s needs and what they can do to assist you. If you will be staying in a hotel, inform the staff ahead of time of your specific needs so they can be prepared to assist you.
- Whenever possible, travel during a time that is good for your loved one with dementia.
Traveling by Air
Traveling by car is a fairly straightforward situation – pack the car, get in and go. Traveling by different methods, however, require a lot more attention, focus and planning. For most people, if they’re not driving to their destination, they’re flying. Airports are chaotic, noisy and stressful even at the best of times (and traveling during the holiday season is definitely not the best of times). However, they can also be a necessary evil. If you and your loved one with dementia are flying somewhere this holiday season, here are some tips for helping make the journey go as smoothly as possible.
- Make sure you have plenty of time for each step. Get to the airport early and make sure you have enough time between connecting flights. If your loved one has mobility issues, talk to the airport about escort services to help get you from one place to another. You can also request a wheelchair to be waiting for you at the gate (you’ll need to schedule this at least 48 hours in advance of your travel).
- Remind your loved one about security measures and walk them through the process while you’re going through the checkpoint and security screening. If necessary, let the staff know that your loved one has dementia.
- If your loved one needs to use the restroom and requires help, look for family bathrooms that will allow you to help your loved one without having to leave him or her unattended.
- Stay with your loved one at all times, and if you need assistance, don’t hesitate to ask airport staff or the in-flight crew (if in the air).
If you decide that traveling is too stressful this year, don’t despair. Consider throwing your own holiday celebrations or adapting your own traditions in order to make the season merry and bright.
Peace of Mind for Cape Cod Seniors and Their Families
Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee provides assisted living memory care that is comfortable, positive, safe and engaging. Exclusively dedicated to caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia or memory impairment, we’ve created a wellness-focused lifestyle that promotes dignity and individual preferences. Our memory care professionals receive specialized and ongoing training designed to help residents maximize their independence in a secure, calm environment – making a truly positive impact on the lives of our residents each and every day.
Age in Place
While many memory care assisted living communities are unable to care for those whose memory loss has progressed, Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee can continue to provide a home and care no matter the stage. Our age in place philosophy helps residents avoid the stress often associated with moving to another community and offers peace of mind to their families. Perhaps the best benefit, your loved one remains in the care of those they’ve grown to know and trust.
Supportive, Engaging Services
At Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee, we offer a program of care and services that celebrates life and supports individual strengths. Our compassionate and engaging approach adapts to the unique challenges and individuality of each resident. No matter what stage of memory loss a resident may be experiencing, families can be sure their loved one will receive a full array of services and a high level of personalized attention.
Call us today at 508.477.0043 to learn more or about Bridges® by EPOCH at Mashpee or to schedule a personal tour.