12 · SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019 TRIB TOTAL MEDIA
HITTINGTHEROAD
Whenever
possible,
try to limit
connections
and layovers
when flying. The
more down time
that is spent in
an airport, the
more stressful
it can become
for Alzheimer’s
and dementia
patients.
USEFUL TRAVELING TIPS WHEN
LOVED ONES HAVE MEMORY ISSUES
Alzheimer’s Association VP gives pointers on making your trip successful
It’s almost summer, and for many families
that means a vacation is coming up in the
near future.
That process can become complicated
when a family member has Alzheimer’s or
dementia, however, whether it’s a drive to
visit family for a long weekend, spending a
week at a beach house or perhaps boarding
a flight.
Caregiver caught up with Sara Murphy, vice
president of programs and services for the
Alzheimer’s Association’s Greater Pennsylvania
chapter to talk about some of the pitfalls
of travel and how to make the process as safe
and successful as possible.
Q:Are there certain things you should assess
or look for when trying to decide
if it’s a good idea to take that vacation with
your mom or dad or your spouse versus
forgoing the trip?
A:There’s certainly nothing saying that
you have to stop participating in
activities like traveling, but you do have to
be mindful. In the earlier stages for sure it’s
probably easier, but with greater distances
and duration, it’s important to take into
account your loved one’s specific needs and
preferences.
It depends on the stage of the disease, the
person’s ability with attention span, incontinence
issues, etc.
We usually advise that any more than four
hours can be too much for someone with the
disease, and that’s start to finish, whether in
the car or on a plane.
Otherwise, there really is no one answer,
but typically people in the moderate stages
can travel. It just depends on what the actual
trip looks like, what’s going to be involved,
how much downtime there’s going to be and
things like that.
Q:What are some tips for making a trip
go as smoothly as possible?
A:Typically the things we mention are
for sure going with the option that’s
going to disrupt their routine the least. If
you’re traveling to a known destination,
maybe a place that was familiar before the
onset of dementia such as a family beach
house, you could probably continue. But
trying something brand new, like a ski resort
or something really out of the box may not
be ideal.
You don’t want to introduce something
completely unfamiliar on top of the fact that
travel can be exhausting in general. Traveling
can be very stressful for people with dementia,
and that means stressful for the caregiver
as well.
STOCK.ADOBE.COM
BY KAREN PRICE
FOR TRIB TOTAL MEDIA