Season is coming to an end and summer is coming. Here are some tips by our Savvy Caregiver instructors, Jan and Riley
Items to bring:

• Fidget toys, magazines, or other things your person can use to stay busy while traveling
• Pack plenty of snacks and water
  o Flying can cause dehydration, ensure your person is drinking water
• Updated copies of Power of Attorney documents
• Bring a picture of the destination or a picture of the family you will be visiting
• Pack a recent photograph or have one readily available on your phone
• Bring a change of clothes, wet wipes and adult diapers in case of an accident

Caregiving Considerations and Tips:

• Maintain your person’s daily routine as best as you can
• If flying, call the airline ahead of time to inform them your person has dementia, see what ac-commodations they can make to make the traveling process as smooth as possible
• Make a fun music playlist for the long drive and reminisce about the songs with your person
• Be aware of the warning signs that your person may be anxious, agitated, or uncomfortable
• If your person does become anxious or agitated while you are driving, pull over to the side of the road and allow them time to relax and calm down
• Stay close by your person at the airport and ensure they have some sort of identification on them in case they become lost
• Include rest periods during long travel days
• Consider past travel experiences, if they have never been on a plane, now would not be a good time to start
• Make sure your person is using the toilet every two hours
• When planning the day, only provide two or three choices and be prepared to let go of any plans if your person is having a bad day
• Keep expectations realistic
• In you are visiting a new place, your person may not understand where you are going or why
• Consider having more than one care partner share your responsibilities, ask family for help and support
• Try to travel during less busy times
• Make sure your person wears slip on shoes at the airport and allow sufficient time to get through airport