TOLEDO, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—As the Memorial Day holiday weekend approaches, many families will head out of town to see friends and family. For the 236,200 Ohio residents living with Alzheimer’s and their 414,000 caregivers, travel can be more complex and may trigger anxiety and cause confusion and require extra planning.
At a certain point in the progression of the disease, travel may become unsafe or impractical. Consider whether traveling with the person with dementia is unsafe or creates undue stress for them or the caregiver.
When planning travel, the Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter offers these tips to families and friends to help plan a safe travel experience for those living with dementia:
- Evaluate options for the best mode of travel. Based on needs, abilities, safety and preferences, decide what would provide the most comfort and the least anxiety.
- Carry with you an itinerary that includes details about each destination. Give copies to family members or friends you will be visiting or to emergency contacts at home.
- Travel during the time of day best for the person. For example, if he or she becomes tired or more agitated in the late afternoon, avoid traveling at this time.
- Have a bag of essentials with you at all times that includes medications, your travel itinerary, a comfortable change of clothes, water, snacks and activities.
- Research shows that heat can increase agitation and confusion in people with dementia. Try to remove behavioral triggers. Address the person’s physical needs related to the heat, then tend to their emotional needs.
- Increased water intake is essential to maintaining good hydration and health during extreme heat. Know the signs of heat exhaustion to avoid heat stroke. Dehydration may be difficult to notice in a person living with Alzheimer’s, as signs like increased fatigue, dry mouth and headache may be difficult to detect.
Additional travel tips can be found here
Those concerned about themselves or a loved one can contact the Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter at 419.537.1999 to schedule a care consultation and be connected to free local resources.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s or other related dementia, or to access free tools and resources, visit alz.org or call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900. Professionally trained staff will be available to help, even on holidays.