If you’re planning on doing some holiday traveling with a senior loved one that has dementia, you may be a little anxious. While you should take some special precautions to make sure that your senior loved one is safe you can still have a safe, happy, and successful car trip with your senior loved one that has dementia. Some things that you should remember when you are planning your car trip for the holidays with a senior loved one that has dementia are:
Safety First
Before the trip you should get the car checked out thoroughly and make sure the brakes are in good shape and that the tires don’t need to be changed. Delays on the road caused by a flat tire or failed brakes or other mechanical problems will stress your senior loved one even more than they are already are. Do whatever you can to prevent problems that might cause safety concerns or make the trip come to a halt. If you need to take the car in for a service a personal care at home provider can stay with your senior loved one while you make sure the car is fixed and ready to go.
Watch For Wandering
If your senior loved one is prone to wandering you should be aware that your senior loved one may try to open the door and get out whenever you stop for gas, stop for a rest stop, or stop for any reason. Make sure that the car doors are locked at all times and make sure that your senior loved one’s seat belt is buckled. That way in order to wander they would need to unbuckle the seat belt and unlock and open the door and chances are pretty good you’d be able to stop them before they made it through all of those steps.
Get A Wearable GPS
Just in case your senior loved one does wander off at a rest stop or when you stop to eat make sure they are wearing something with a GPS tracker on it. You can sew a GPS into their coat, or put a watch or bracelet on them that has a GPS. You can even tuck a GPS tracker into their shoe. A personal care at home provider that helps your senior loved one prepare for the trip can put a GPS tracker inside your senior loved one’s clothing so that they won’t be able to remove it.
Take Lots Of Breaks
The most important part of traveling in a car with a senior loved one is to take lots of breaks. Your senior loved one may get car sick, or tired, or have pain from sitting in the car for too long. Take a break once an hour or so and let your senior loved one have a drink and a snack and get out of the car to stretch their legs. The breaks will make the trip much easier for your senior loved one.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HIRING HOME CARE ASSISTANCE IN SARATOGA, CA, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT HOME HELPERS TODAY (408) 317-4969.
