Key points for traveling in summer with people with Alzheimer’s: planning, maintaining routines, and reducing stimuli

INFORMATION NOTE Barcelona, July 10, 2024 

Key points for traveling in the summer with people with Alzheimer’s: planning, maintaining routines, and reducing stimuli

• Experts at Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona remind us that vacations are possible and can be positive for people with dementia if they are planned properly. • Adapting the trip to the person’s needs and the stage of the disease is essential to ensure their physical and emotional well-being. With the arrival of summer, many families wonder whether it is a good idea to go on vacation with someone who has dementia. The most common concerns among some family members and/or caregivers revolve around the length of the trip, the type of activities to be done, or the risk that the person will become disoriented or unable to enjoy the experience. For people with dementia, changes in their environment, schedules, or activities can cause confusion, anxiety, and even disorientation. What may be a leisure activity for many, such as a family meal or discovering a new city, can become a stressful experience for a person with Alzheimer’s if it is not adapted to their needs. In addition, experts remind us that traveling in the summer often involves changes in routine, new stimuli, changes in temperature, and other factors that can negatively affect the physical or emotional state of people with this disease. Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, a leading center for comprehensive dementia care, reminds us that vacations are possible and can be positive if planned properly. “Summer doesn’t have to be a time of sacrifice, but rather a time of adaptation,” explains América Morera, deputy director of the Day Care Unit at Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona, who shares five recommendations for a safe vacation: 1. Advance planning: organize the trip according to interests, preferences, and financial possibilities. It is recommended to travel with someone else, choose destinations similar to previous vacations, keep the duration flexible, opt for simple routes, and avoid the high season. 2. Adapted transportation: if you decide to travel by car, it is essential to ensure safety (use of seat belts and locked doors) and plan rest stops. If, on the other hand, you are traveling by plane, it is recommended to request assistance at the airport, accompany the person to the boarding area, inform the airline of any special needs, and use disability badges if necessary. 3. Quiet environments: choose comfortable, quiet accommodation. Group activities are only recommended if the environment understands the needs of the person and the caregiver. It is important to avoid overstimulation and sudden changes. 4. Maintain daily routines. Preserving regular medication, sleep, and eating schedules, as well as using familiar aids such as notes or calendars, helps reduce anxiety and provides stability. 5. Flexibility and vigilance: It is important to be alert to possible emotional reactions or unusual behaviors, and always act with understanding. “There are many ways to enjoy the summer without putting the well-being of people with dementia at risk. The most important thing is to plan ahead, adapt each decision to their reality, and prioritize their emotional stability at all times. With good planning, it is possible to have positive experiences without putting their well-being at risk,” says América Morera. Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona adds that it is crucial for caregivers and those close to people with dementia to be alert to the possible onset of symptoms and, if necessary, to contact health services. Proper care and monitoring can make a difference in the health and well-being of people with dementia during the summer.