Planning a Vacation with a Senior Suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease
Senior Care in Huntington NY
Planning a vacation is one of the most popular activities for families during the summer months. If you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, 
planning a vacation takes on new challenges. You must keep their challenges and limitations in mind throughout the planning and vacation experience so that you can ensure that the experience in beneficial and enjoyable for everyone involved.
Use these tips to help you plan a vacation with a senior suffering from Alzheimer’s disease:
- Choose your destination carefully. The first decision most families make when planning a vacation is their destination. When considering where you want to go on your trip, try to choose a place that will cause a little upheaval as possible. Consider a place that was familiar to your loved one prior to their diagnosis. If this is not an option, select a place that will allow you to maintain as much of your parent’s care routine as possible.
- Select activities for everyone. A summer vacation is not just about traveling, but about the time that you get to spend together once you reach your destination. Caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease does not have to mean that you cannot enjoy activities with every member of your family. Select several activities that appeal to your family and then plan ways that you can modify them to address your parent’s needs. You may need to plan some activities that your partner will bring your children to enjoy while you spend quiet time in the hotel with your loved one. Be flexible about this and willing to make adjustments as necessary.
- Be open with planning. Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease are not generally people who you should try to surprise. Spontaneous trips can be fun, but they can also cause great anxiety for your parent. Talk about your planning with your senior so that they can get accustomed to the idea. Even if they do not remember all of the details, this will give them a chance to feel as comfortable with the idea as possible.
- Consider extra accessibility assistance. The strange surroundings and changed routine that your loved one will deal with during a vacation can be quite troublesome. They may even result in increased symptoms. Be prepared to use extra accessibility assistance such as mobility devices that will help your parent deal with these symptoms.
If you are not comfortable with the thought of traveling with your elderly loved one due to the extent of their Alzheimer’s symptoms, you do not have to give up your hopes of enjoying a summer adventure with your family. A senior care provider can enable you to go on your trip while also feeling confident your parent is in good hands. A respite senior home care services provider can be with your parent when you are away so that they receive the care and assistance that they need to stay healthy, safe, and comfortable when you are not available to care for them.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Huntington, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Source: https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-and-traveling.asp
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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