Tips to Travel as a Caregiver with an Alzheimer’s Disease Patient

Normally, when you want to travel, you would want to get away from your regular surroundings and unwind at a new destination. However, life is not the same as normal people for the patients with Alzheimer's Disease who flourish only in familiar surroundings. New activities and unfamiliar places can be overwhelming for such people no matter the stage of their disease. If you are a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer's Disease, you must make travel plans only when the person under your care is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease; never travel with him or her in the later stages as you will not be able to handle any unpleasant situations on your own.

Be over-prepared

Since you are traveling with someone who needs your extra attention, you must be over-prepared than go under-prepared. Pack important papers such as doctors prescriptions and nots, list of medicines along with the dosage, list of drug and food allergies, numbers of local police and hospital, and other emergency contacts. Triple check all these documents and pack them in an easily accessible pocket of your bag.

Buy an identification bracelet

Make your patient wear an identification bracelet that they cannot take off easily. The bracelet should carry your phone number and name along with the patient’s name. In case, your loved one gets lost in the unknown area, someone can spot them and contact you.

Keep the surroundings familiar

For a person with Alzheimer's Disease, traveling can be very stressful that you can I cannot even imagine. Just like an infant gets cranky at minor discomfort, the AD patient can also express the anxiety at minor triggers. Therefore, it is better to bring the familiar items from home, especially the ones that they are fond of. Their favorite blanket, a family photo frame, or a soft toy- you must bring them along if it comforts them. If you are traveling by air, you may have to minimize the luggage, but never sacrifice on the affluence of your patient. If you are traveling by road, you can hire a Car Rental in Pune or a cab in Mumbai, if possible and carry whatever you want. Wherever possible, try having a wheelchair for your patient, even if they are fully capable of walking. Sitting on a wheelchair while being transported calms down their mind and they can observe their surroundings without feeling dazed.

Plan a simple itinerary

Do not club too many activities in one day on your vacation as this may confuse your patient. If possible, do not plan tours that include sightseeing at too many places. You may enjoy those places at once, but your patient can feel overly stressed and behave improperly. If you know that your loved one is prone to violence under stress, you must return early and take rest for a while.

It is not easy to be a caregiver for a person with any kind of ailment, especially the Alzheimer's Disease. You have to be extra tolerant and affectionate towards your loved one, but there is a reason that God has chosen you for this task. Still, you are also a human being and you may make mistakes. Better be cautious beforehand and know your responsibility while enjoying with your loved one.