As more seniors are choosing to travel with families, many hotels and airports are refining their business models so that they can ensure the smooth travel experience for seniors who have mobility needs or memory care needs. However, the responsibility of smooth traveling has to be distributed to the seniors who require mobility and memory care needs. In this article, we will present the top five traveling tips for those living with dementia.
Get your Physician’s Approval for travel
Importantly, you need to get approval from your healthcare professional on whether you are suitable for travel. Contact them to ask about what kinds of medications you will need to bring, and how much more do you need to replenish in advance. You also need to discuss with your physician the limitations of your travel, what activities you can or cannot do.
Inform Team Members in Retirement Community
If you are currently staying in a retirement community, it is your duty to let the team members and professionals know of your trip. They can help to prepare for your trip and advise you on what activities are suitable for you, the equipment that you may need to bring along for your safety and the dietary restrictions that you need to follow. This can help you to arrange meal plans when you book your flight or cruise, suppose you are traveling by air or sea for your holiday.
Special Services when Traveling
If you need to be onboard an airplane or if you are traveling by sea, make sure that you ask for special amenities such as wheelchairs, and special services such as boarding in advance and special seatings.
Safety is Key
The most important consideration throughout your journey is your safety. As someone who is living with dementia, you may have trouble remembering your routines, and actions. This increases the risk of your getting into accidents. This is something that you must avoid. To ensure your safety, if you travel with your family, your family member needs to constantly be with you. If you are living with dementia, and intend to travel alone, do ensure that you inform your family members or team members at the retirement community of your whereabouts on a daily basis.
Write a Card with Your Personal Information
It is important that you have a card with your personal information like your name, your personal contact number, your retirement community’s contact, and one of your family members’ contacts. You should also indicate the address at which you reside during your travel. This is to ensure that in the event that you forget your personal details, someone within reach can help you out when you show them your card.
If you are thinking of living in a retirement community but you are wondering how difficult traveling might be, do not worry! At Discovery Village at Palm Beach Gardens, we provide transportation services to ensure that your journey to various area attractions in the city will be safe and smooth. Our professional team members will advise you on how to ensure your own safety while traveling. S/he will probably tell you the tips mentioned in this article. If you are interested in living at Discovery Village at Palm Beach Gardens, contact us today!
