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MuddlingThrough Asked November 2019

High altitude and vascular Alzheimer's?

This may be obvious, but has anyone had a problem with caring for an Alz patient at high altitude? We're invited to a winter wedding in Jackson Hole, WY and I'm wondering if it's crazy to drag my middle-stage husband to the wedding. Looooooong flight and 6500 feet up. Egads!

JoAnn29 Nov 2019
High altitudes effect your breathing if u live at lower altitudes. I get tired. I wonder if you suffer from Dementia would this effect how much oxygen hits the brain. Meaning, Dementia symptoms would get worse.

I really don't think you could enjoy the wedding. Changes are not good for a Dementia patients. If he is like my Mom, she was ready to go after an hr. Try to find someone to be with him while ur gone. You can call around to ALs or LTC and see if they offer respite. I would not tell DH about the wedding. I would not tell him about respite care until just before u place him. Tell him its a vacation in a nice motel.

Daughterof1930 Nov 2019
We have an adult son with an hypoxic brain injury and his docs don’t allow him at any high altitudes. In situations when it’s a must, such as driving through an area, he’s not to be there more than a few hours. I can’t imagine this would be anything short of a nightmare for your husband, especially coupled with a long flight. I do hope you can find a way to attend, either family or friends locally to help, or a sitter service.

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lealonnie1 Nov 2019
Forget about the Alzheimer's, it's a bad idea to drag your husband on a long flight to an altitude of 6500 ft, period. My sister, without health issues who's 50 years old, gets terrible altitude sickness when she comes to visit me in Denver. The symptoms are quite serious and can require a doctor's intervention for medication, especially in your husband's condition. Not to mention winter in this part of the country can be particularly treacherous. And a long flight is always a problem with elderly people; ie: toileting, sitting for long periods of time & running the risk of getting a DVT, getting around/through the airports, etc.

If I were you, I'd go alone or decline the invitation altogether.

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