Travel
Yes, you can: smart tips for travelling with dementia
While travel with dementia is doable, it’s important to weigh up whether a trip will be good for you or simply way too stressful.
By Paula Goodyer
It’s 3am and your sleep-deprived brain is navigating an unfamiliar airport in a foreign land. Is the departure gate for your connecting flight down there, or back there – and what’s the secret to turning on the tap in the airport loo? Even for the sharpest brain, international travel can be demanding, so does that mean travelling with dementia is a bad idea?
“No – we want people to know that dementia isn’t the end of all things, and that the more engaged people with dementia are in living life physically and mentally, the better the chance of slowing their decline,” says Dr Maria O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Central Queensland University. “But it’s important to get the right support in place and there’s an increasing need to cater for people with dementia who want to travel.”
The signs are that this is starting to happen. Although still small, the list of dementia-friendly airports is growing. Brisbane is one, Heathrow and Gatwick in the UK are others, so is New York City, along with other US airports.
Many airlines, airports and other travel industry businesses have also embraced the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. This means wearing a pale green lanyard, badge or wristband with a sunflower emblem – it’s a discreet way to signal that someone has a disability that may not be obvious and may need more help to get around or understand information. Worldwide, about 230 airports and 17 airlines have joined the program: this map shows you where.
Deciding whether travel is right for you
While travel with dementia is doable – and Dr O’Reilly’s research has found that some people with early dementia travelled alone – it’s important to weigh up whether a trip will be good for you or too stressful. According to Dementia Australia, travel is more difficult for someone who:
- gets upset when their routine/environment changes,
- becomes disoriented or agitated, even in familiar surroundings,
- needs a lot of help with daily activities or has problems with incontinence,
- can’t walk safely for long distances, is at high risk of falling or has other medical conditions
- gets angry/anxious when their needs aren’t met.
If you meet a few of the above criteria, talk to your doctor about whether the travel you plan to do is a safe option for you.
Planning your trip
“With dementia, travel can be feasible in the early stages and I recommend doing it sooner, as it can be stressful later on if the person’s abilities decline,” says Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty, of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales. “It’s best to stick with one or 2 destinations rather than attempt a big European tour, for example, and it helps to go to familiar environments where you’ve been before. There can also be benefits to a person’s mood if they’re catching up with family when they travel.”
Planning an international trip or a long domestic trip? Consider a dry run first with a short domestic trip to see how you go, says Dementia Australia which advises:
- checking with your doctor to ensure your travel plans are suitable
- being aware that some insurance companies, airlines and cruise ship companies may ask for written medical clearance from a doctor
- checking whether you can take prescription meds with you. (The Therapeutic Goods Administration has good information here.)
Managing the airport
Navigating the airport is usually the hardest part of the journey, says Dr O’Reilly, whose research with the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre surveyed people with dementia and their companions about their needs when travelling by air.
“Understanding signs and announcements, concerns about getting lost or separated and finding quiet places away from noise and crowds were high on the list of problems they experienced – but going through security was the most challenging,” she says. “Being separated from a travel companion at a security checkpoint was one issue, but another problem is that going through security can involve a lot of implied knowledge – there’s a need for better signage so that people know what to do.”
The people surveyed came up with a list of tips based on their experiences, including booking flights that leave at a quieter time of day and checking with the airline beforehand about what support they offer people needing assistance. For instance, some airlines will escort you through security and immigration to the boarding gate. Read more of the survey respondents’ smart tips here.
What about cruises?
Ships that stop at different locations, letting you leave and return to the ship can be a way of travelling widely yet still sleeping in the same familiar place, says the UK’s Alzheimer’s Society. Their advice: check out how accessible the cruise ship is and consider its size – some can be huge and disorientating, so a smaller ship might be easier. When you book, let them know what help you’ll need.
This might help: Cruise curious? Top tips for first-timers
Keeping things familiar
Packing a few things you routinely use at home is another tip from the Alzheimer’s Society – items like a favourite coffee cup, photograph or soap with a familiar fragrance can make you feel at home. If possible, keep to your regular routines for eating and sleeping.
Case study: “Don’t stop travelling – but be organised”
“He was fine travelling to new places – he enjoyed the stimulation and liked to be busy, although afterwards he didn’t remember what we’d done except when we looked at the photos,” says a friend who didn’t let her partner’s dementia diagnosis stop them from flying to Berlin and Vietnam and cruising to Tahiti and Tasmania.
“We went to Vietnam on a tour rather than attempting to travel independently – a tour is best if you’re going somewhere unfamiliar and you don’t speak the language.
“There was also a tracker on his phone and he carried a piece of paper with my name and phone number on it too. Later, when he became more disoriented at night, I always made sure the room was locked and bought an alarm that I could attach to the door.
“You do have to be watchful and it can become increasingly lonely because there’s no depth to the conversation even though you might still be talking to each other. But my message is don’t stop travelling – but be as organised as possible and cover all contingencies.”
Where to learn more
There’s good advice online including:
Travelling with dementia from Dementia Australia.
Going on holiday when a person has dementia, a detailed booklet from the Alzheimer’s Society UK.
Ensuring a Smooth Journey - a guide through the Brisbane International Airport for people living with dementia and their travel companions. Along with information on getting around Brisbane airport, this has good general advice on airline travel and dementia.
Resources for travel from the US-based Dementia-friendly Airports Working Group - especially useful for travel to the US.
Feature image: iStock/Halfpoint
More support for living with dementia: