Any experience travelling by car with an Alzheimer’s patient?
My mother has Alzheimer’s and her memory is at the point where she doesn’t remember a 3-minute conversation, but her physical health is excellent. We’re in Texas and I’m considering driving to California with her so she can visit her only brother and a few others. What should I be prepared for? I need the good and the bad, tell me your horror stories and the pleasant ones. I really need advice from people who have done this already. Thanks!
Tags: experience, travelling by car, horror stories, Patient, travelling, minute conversationRelated posts:
As you may already know, unfamiliar surroundings can upset an Alzheimer’s patient. My mother would absolutely “freak out” at those times. Having a child safety lock on car doors is almost essential. (Yes, she would actually try to leap from a moving car!)
If your mother is on medications to control moods, dosing her prior to trips would be your best option. Relaxing music may also help.
Incontinence may or may not already be a problem, but Depends are convenient to use. Still, you’ll need to make frequent rest stops to ensure she is dry so skin doesn’t break down.
Lots of food also needs to be on board. Things that don’t spoil and are nutritious.
Essentially it is like traveling with a 2 yr. old. She may make the trip with ease or it may be a hell ride.
If you can take a faster mode of transportation, like flying (again, perhaps a tranquilizer administered 30 minutes before hand to give it time to kick in) would be the better option. An even more ideal would be having the relations and friends come to visit her.
Good luck.
I recommend that you carry information from her doctor concerning her condition and your role as care giver. A doctor I know took his wife, who has Alzheimer’s, on a couple of trips. On one of them she got away from him and told people that he kidnapped her. He had to go with the police, and her luckily, to the police station to explain. Once there the officer realized that his wife was having difficulty mentally and believed his story - and he did have a letter from her doctor with him.
I’m sorry that I do not have any good stories to share with you. A trip can be a big deal for elderly people without Alzheimer’s. I wish you the best of luck.