Should they Travel with Dementia? 8 Questions to Ask Yourself

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should they travel with dementia

Living with dementia does not mean that this person cannot travel or live a life seeing family and friends.

You want to keep them social, but at the same time, you want to keep them safe.

It does require some planning and asking yourself if this person is capable of traveling.

Most of the time, folks that are in the late stage of dementia cannot travel, but there are other ways to look at whether they should travel or not.

Think about these when they travel with dementia.

If your loved one does require assistance in bathing, changing clothing, dressing or toilet training, you will have significant difficulty with even day trips. Think about trying to change clothing in an airport or airplane bathroom.

Also, if your loved one has any behavioral problems, such as paranoia or delusions. And they have difficulty handling a lot of people and a lot of noise, then you might reconsider.

Does your loved one have difficulty with small, confined places for a lengthy period of time?

Does your loved one like to wander and might get lost in a crowd on a train or in a park?

Does your loved one need frequent stops to the bathroom?

Will your loved one get confused and scared if too many strangers come at them?

Is nocturnal or night walking an issue?

Are you concerned that they may soil someone else’s bed?

For a complete list of questions, preparations, and decisions get my FREE guide Traveling with Dementia.

dementia

Keep you and your loved one safe, happy, and enjoying time together. CLICK HERE

 

People who travel with dementia often need rest stops and extended periods of rest.

If you’re booking an airplane flight, try to book it with no stops. However, if you must have a layover, remember to wait at least an hour to two hours in between flights. If you have any priority passes to stay in an airline club, go ahead and stay there. This will cut down on the noise and chaos your loved one is feeling with these crowds.

Other unfamiliar places can cause confusion, anxiety, and fear. This also includes if you are staying at another family member’s home. Can your loved one stay in a strange place, or will you need to stay with them?

If you are staying at a family member’s home, are they providing a private bedroom and bath for your loved one?

Does your loved one in strange places or strange noises or strange people become agitated? If this is the case, then you will need to take your loved one to his or her primary care physician to see if there’s any medication they can get for agitation should it come on.

 

Don’t get removed from the plane due to their restless behavior.

Another point to consider is the airline. If your loved one becomes irritated or restless and cannot be calmed down, every captain of the airplane has the right to kick you and your loved one off the plane. Is there a possibility that they could become out of control?

No, these statistics.: One out of four loved ones with dementia can become anxious in a crowded place. And this will trigger unexpected behavior. If you are worried about this, it would be an innovative idea to take your loved one out for the day to a crowded place, either a shopping center or a loud restaurant. See how they handle this for several hours. It might be even better if you decide to go that you take them to a crowded loud place several days in a row before your day of travel.

So to recap dementia travel.

For an enjoyable experience, make sure you recognize the signs of restlessness and agitation. Know how to treat it ahead of time. If your loved one. Shows signs of this.

  • Plan ahead, letting everyone know, including the airline employees, that your loved one has dementia.
  • Your loved one’s ability to handle a crowd of people, loud noises, and a new place. Take them out 3-4 days in a row ahead of the travel plans to be sure they can handle this.
  • One word of caution. If your loved one’s doctor has placed them on any new medications or any antibiotics because of an infection, it is not a good idea to travel at this time. Wait until you see how the medication affects your loved one, or if the infection goes away before you travel. Unfortunately, you will need to cancel your plans.

 

For more ideas, especially those you didn’t think of, get my FREE GUIDE, Traveling with Dementia. It’s full of great ideas as well as mistakes to avoid. CLICK BELOW.

CLICK HERE 

After their trip.

Oftentimes, patients will come into the doctor’s office after a trip and ask the doctor to start the workup for dementia in their senior.  This is common when trips can be exhausting and events did not turn out well.  To find out how you can prepare for a diagnosis of dementia, see my article, Could her Odd Behavior be Dementia or Common Aging? 

About the Author

Do you feel frustrated with your medical care? Do doctors spend 5 minutes with you, push you out of the office, with you wondering what's going to happen? Does your insurance deny paying? You're not alone. I'm frustrated, too. This is a growing trend in healthcare. Having seen pre-insurance medicine (yes, my dad was an old country doctor), I grew up watching him spend time with his patients, giving them the best care he had to offer. I saw families trust him to help them through hospitalizations and the next crisis. As a patient advocate, my job is to see that you get the right diagnosis, the right treatment plans, and the right supplies and education to make good decisions about your health. More importantly, I will teach you the tricks of the healthcare trade. We need more healthcare consumer protection, especially for chronic illnesses like diabetes. This is what I am passionate about. I make it happen every day with thousands of patients who now know what I know about beating the healthcare system and getting the best patient care...Patient Best.

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This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your healthcare provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that has been read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice or other institution. Nor does this material constitute a provider-patient relationship between the reader and the author. 

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