Traveling can be enjoyable for families impacted by dementia, but it can also bring challenges, especially during the busy holiday season. To ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of everyone involved, planning is critical – and a good amount of patience may be required.

For the individual with Alzheimer’s disease, a new environment may increase confusion, a change in routine may be disorienting, and there may be an increased risk of wandering. As a result, caregivers and family members may have difficulty relaxing. To ease the stress, it’s important that caregivers assess a person’s strengths and limitations and plan all aspects of the trip accordingly.

Here are important considerations to help with planning:

  • Make sure the person with Alzheimer’s or dementia has multiple forms of identification.
  • Maintain their typical routines as much as possible and bring familiar comfort items with you on your trip.
  • Identify activities that might be most helpful in a particular mode of transportation including books on tape, music with noise-canceling headphones, fidget quilts, or card games.
  • Plan on traveling during the time of day that is best for the person with dementia.
  • Research what medical services are offered at your destination.
  • Travel with important medical information (medications, legal documents, medical history) in your possession.
  • Avoid busy and chaotic locations during the trip.
  • Get your physician’s feedback regarding concerns about agitation or difficulty tolerating a long trip.

If you decide that traveling this holiday season is too overwhelming for you and the person with dementia, you can still enjoy visits and other celebrations with family by using today’s technology such as Zoom.

To allow you to go on a trip and take a much-needed break, consider asking family  for help or arrange for respite care.

Learn more about Alzheimer’s New Jersey’s Respite Care and Wellness Program HERE

https://www.alznj.org/services/respite-care-wellness-program/

Should you have further questions about traveling this holiday season with a loved one with dementia, don’t hesitate to call our Helpline at 888-280-6055. Our trained and caring staff can offer you further advice, tips, and strategies to assist you with your holiday plans.