When someone you love has dementia, it’s important to expose them to enriching experiences that can strengthen their social connections and provide cognitive stimulation. These can often include travel.
Many people who live with cognitive impairment can find joy and confidence by taking trips with friends and family members. These trips can help combat isolation and depression – not only for those with dementia, but for their caregivers. To get the most out of them, however, it’s crucial to plan them thoughtfully.
Jan Dougherty is a Duet: Partners In Health & Aging board member and the founder and CEO of TravALZ, which provides expert consultation to people with cognitive impairment, their caregivers and travel industry partners. She is also the author of Travel Well with Dementia: Essential Tips to Enjoy the Journey.
Jan worked in a memory disorders clinic for many years. When she asked newly diagnosed patients and their families what was most important to them, travel was a frequent answer. Too often, though, trips for these patients “became a very challenging situation and unfortunately ended long before it should have,” she said. “I want to see that people living with dementia and their family caregivers can stay connected to the people and places they love for as long as possible.”
Here are some of Jan’s top tips:
- Plan ahead. Communicate with the family and friends you’ll be visiting – early. Help them understand the changes that have taken place in your loved one and give them specifics about how they can support you.
- Instill familiar rituals. While travel often disrupts daily routines, maintaining familiar elements —like bedtime rituals and regular naps —can help provide comfort and stability.
- Be realistic – and flexible. “It is essential to set realistic expectations,” Jan says. You may need to skip gatherings or outings if your loved one is having a bad day.” Don’t try to force it when your loved one wants to leave an event — and skip it altogether if they’re not well rested or if it’s at a time of day when they’re often agitated.
- Keep them safe. You’ll need to ensure your loved one doesn’t wander. Technology and gadgets can help – including GPS trackers for people with dementia (use them consistently) and inexpensive door locks for hotel rooms or cruise cabins.
- Where to stay. As the disease progresses, it is often better to consider staying in a nearby hotel with quiet spaces. It’s especially wise to consider this option when a friend’s or family member’s home has stairs, or a lot of commotion.
It’s best to avoid hotel rooms with a suite – the extra room makes monitoring difficult. Make sure the room is away from noisy spots like the hotel icemaker or elevator banks. On-site restaurants or easy access to ordering in are helpful. “I often recommend that caregivers call the hotel directly to select a room that might meet their needs,” Jan says.
- Look for easier options. Air travel can be especially stressful, but there are many ways to make things easier. For example, request pre-boarding and select seats that are toward the front; allow for at least an hour if there’s a connecting flight. Work with TSA Cares prior to the flight to get some assistance when going through security. Let the flight crew know you are traveling with a person with dementia and how they can help. If someone is picking you up, have them get a gate pass so they can meet you as soon as you step off the plane.
“I want to see that people living with dementia and their family caregivers can stay connected to the people and places they love for as long as possible.”
The Dementia Friendly Airports Workgroup, a consortium of healthcare professionals and airports working together to improve the air travel experience, has many practical tools for caregivers. An upcoming workshop from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport focuses on helping dementia caregivers learn to plan and navigate air travel.
Interested in learning more about dementia-friendly travel? Jan goes into more depth in this webinar.
Sometimes, Jan acknowledges, the disease may have progressed to a point where travel is no longer practical. This includes situations where a loved one is easily upset or agitated, or confused most of the time, or difficult to manage on a daily basis.
While there may come a time when travel is no longer feasible, for those who are still able, a well-planned getaway can be a truly meaningful and rewarding experience.
About Sandra Pedicini
Sandra Pedicini is a Duet volunteer caregiver mentor and writes about aging and caregiving issues. She is a former newspaper journalist and works as a corporate communications manager.
