Flew with husband not that long ago after 2 surgeries out of country as our health system being inefficient would be 2-3 years waiting. Both ways, not one thing went wrong, flight attendant contacted both airports to verify assistance, waiting for us, first on the plane, first of the plane, taken thru customs in one minute, I cannot say enough good things how well we were treated. For OP, I am well aware dementia is different, but, I realize how important it is to travel, don‘t know about your wife’s progression of course. You can ask as there is international agreement recognized in over 100 countries as well about people travelling with disability, including dementia, they help with transfer at airport, taking person and companion thru less crowded route, we generally go to lounge, some are so good with little pods or beds. If possible book first class, if assistance required or your wife walking is unsteady request wheelchair transfer, I think it is 24 hrs min in advance, they take you both thru other ( crew) gate. Fast, no lines. In no way I am trying to encourage you, it is personal choice, but, assistance is available.
My mother did not have dementia. I flew to California with. It was a nightmare. She complained about everything and what was supposed to be one hour in the Houston airport turned into 5 hours. And our layover in Atlanta was longer than anticipated. I would not attempt this trip. Air travel has become very unreliable.
Another thing...plane cancellations. A lot if this was going on during the Summer. This could make you layover longer or even have to spend the night to get a flight the next day. We flew 4th of July weekend. There were people sleeping in the terminal because there were no rooms left in the surrounding motels.
Really, you not want to out someone suffering from Dementia thru this or you.
Yes, plenty of experience and most of it unnerving. My mother always wanted to see where my brother lived in Sydney, Australia. She was so excited to go. The chaos of travel, changing planes in LAX, an extremely long flight, then customs was just too much for her. She didn't know what was up. Thank goodness my husband was equal help for her. When we arrived at my brother's home she was discombobulated! She couldn't remember how to get from her bedroom to the bathroom. That evening she called me from the bathroom: she wanted to take a shower and didn't know how to do it (first time I saw my mother naked --age 93) It took about 4 1/2 days for her body and mind to reconnect. Then, after 2+ weeks we repeated the same thing flying home. I think it was worth it. We should have just invited my brother to fly here for a great weekend.
I'd nix that idea immediately. Is it crucial to go to FL to begin with, and will such a trip enhance your WIFE'S life in any way, shape or form? Because that's the only goal with an elder who's suffering with Alzheimer's/dementia: to keep them calm & happy. If you can't do that, then don't do whatever it is you're planning to do. If this trip is to enhance YOUR active lifestyle (as described in your profile: About Me: Active , working, running, golf), and has no positive value for your wife, nix the trip, that's my advice. Otherwise, both of you are likely in for a VERY ugly travel day x2, going and coming.
As a man, what is your plan to get her to the bathroom? If she's incontinent, what is your plan to change her brief? What if she has to take a BM, is she able to clean herself up alone, or are you planning to accompany her into the Ladies room in the airport? What about on the airplane? I suppose you can find a 'family bathroom' at the airport or an individual stall where both of you can go together, but it may involve a lot of walking, etc. The details that healthy people overlook or take for granted are MAGNIFIED 1000x when you're trudging through an airport with a demented elder.
You don't mention how impaired your wife is, so we're all just speculating here, in reality. If she's saddled with mild ALZ/dementia, then things shouldn't be too bad. If she's at the moderate to advanced stage of ALZ/dementia, then you need to worry. A 5 hour layover in a big, bustling airport for a person WITHOUT cognitive deficits is hard enough, it would likely be a nightmare for someone with cognitive deficits. That's the truth. It's not something I ever would have done with my mother who suffered from dementia. I MAY have considered it when she was in the early stages, but the incontinence issues would have made me stop to think HARD before doing so.
IATA has special codes for passengers who are disabled, assistance is available. I travel with husband with Parkinson’s but no dementia, however his mobility is limited, so if that is also a problem, notify airline at least 24 hours before your flight, they will provide assistant and take you and companion thru crew gates, no lines! It helps, also we generally book premium front seats with bathroom limited to few and flight attendants help.
Cj, has your wife's medication been adjusted to help calm her agitation and anxiety? Can she remain focused for longer than 30 minutes?
5 hours for someone that is experiencing all the problems she has, well, it would feel like a week for both of you.
Do you ever travel for hours in the car? This might be a good way to judge the safety of taking her on a plane. Drive her around for 5 hours, stop at a busy, unfamiliar location and hang out for the duration of your layover.
I think that dementia patients get to a point that travel is no longer advisable.
Not a good idea. People with dementia do not handle fast-paced change well.
You also are forgetting all about what happens before even getting on the plane. How is your LO going to handle the ride to the airport? Walking into the airport and checking in? TSA security check? Waiting to board? Using a strange restroom? And having to do all of this within a sea of strangers with lots of luggage, noise, announcements, etc.
There comes a point when people with dementia should not be removed from the comfort of their routine unless absolutely necessary. Why is this trip necessary?
cjljml, I would opt for train travel for you and your wife. A private room would be perfect. Yes, the trip would be longer, but so much calmer for everyone.
When I was a toddler, my parents used train travel because I was one noisy and annoying child. If I needed a nap, the private room was quiet. Easy to stretch one's legs without trying to climb over your seat mate on an airplane. I don't remember if there were private bathrooms, but the bathrooms in the regular couch cars were roomy.
My thing would be incontinence. Those airplane bathrooms are very small. Two people cannot fit in there. Five hour layover is a longtime for someone with Dementia. They do not do well in the unfamiliar. My Mom, in the early stages, was ready to go home in an hour.
Why do you feel that the LO would benefit from this trip? Me, I was going to my nieces wedding 8 hrs away by car. My Mom's Dementia had worsened. I had been caring for her almost 2 yrs. I wanted to enjoy this wedding so I chose to place her in respite care.
What level of impairment does she have? Will she blurt out inappropriate things on the plane? If so, the airlines may not tolerate this, dementia diagnosis or not.
Will she cooperate in staying in her seat? Keeping her seatbelt fastened? Keep her hands off of the person next to her? With air travel it is mostly not always about her, but about the other passengers.
Both ways, not one thing went wrong, flight attendant contacted both airports to verify assistance, waiting for us, first on the plane, first of the plane, taken thru customs in one minute, I cannot say enough good things how well we were treated.
For OP, I am well aware dementia is different, but, I realize how important it is to travel, don‘t know about your wife’s progression of course. You can ask as there is international agreement recognized in over 100 countries as well about people travelling with disability, including dementia, they help with transfer at airport, taking person and companion thru less crowded route, we generally go to lounge, some are so good with little pods or beds. If possible book first class, if assistance required or your wife walking is unsteady request wheelchair transfer, I think it is 24 hrs min in advance, they take you both thru other ( crew) gate. Fast, no lines.
In no way I am trying to encourage you, it is personal choice, but, assistance is available.
Really, you not want to out someone suffering from Dementia thru this or you.
My mother always wanted to see where my brother lived in Sydney, Australia. She was so excited to go. The chaos of travel, changing planes in LAX, an extremely long flight, then customs was just too much for her. She didn't know what was up. Thank goodness my husband was equal help for her. When we arrived at my brother's home she was discombobulated! She couldn't remember how to get from her bedroom to the bathroom. That evening she called me from the bathroom: she wanted to take a shower and didn't know how to do it (first time I saw my mother naked --age 93) It took about 4 1/2 days for her body and mind to reconnect. Then, after 2+ weeks we repeated the same thing flying home. I think it was worth it. We should have just invited my brother to fly here for a great weekend.
As a man, what is your plan to get her to the bathroom? If she's incontinent, what is your plan to change her brief? What if she has to take a BM, is she able to clean herself up alone, or are you planning to accompany her into the Ladies room in the airport? What about on the airplane? I suppose you can find a 'family bathroom' at the airport or an individual stall where both of you can go together, but it may involve a lot of walking, etc. The details that healthy people overlook or take for granted are MAGNIFIED 1000x when you're trudging through an airport with a demented elder.
You don't mention how impaired your wife is, so we're all just speculating here, in reality. If she's saddled with mild ALZ/dementia, then things shouldn't be too bad. If she's at the moderate to advanced stage of ALZ/dementia, then you need to worry. A 5 hour layover in a big, bustling airport for a person WITHOUT cognitive deficits is hard enough, it would likely be a nightmare for someone with cognitive deficits. That's the truth. It's not something I ever would have done with my mother who suffered from dementia. I MAY have considered it when she was in the early stages, but the incontinence issues would have made me stop to think HARD before doing so.
Best of luck, whatever you decide to do.
I travel with husband with Parkinson’s but no dementia, however his mobility is limited, so if that is also a problem, notify airline at least 24 hours before your flight, they will provide assistant and take you and companion thru crew gates, no lines! It helps, also we generally book premium front seats with bathroom limited to few and flight attendants help.
5 hours for someone that is experiencing all the problems she has, well, it would feel like a week for both of you.
Do you ever travel for hours in the car? This might be a good way to judge the safety of taking her on a plane. Drive her around for 5 hours, stop at a busy, unfamiliar location and hang out for the duration of your layover.
I think that dementia patients get to a point that travel is no longer advisable.
You also are forgetting all about what happens before even getting on the plane. How is your LO going to handle the ride to the airport? Walking into the airport and checking in? TSA security check? Waiting to board? Using a strange restroom? And having to do all of this within a sea of strangers with lots of luggage, noise, announcements, etc.
There comes a point when people with dementia should not be removed from the comfort of their routine unless absolutely necessary. Why is this trip necessary?
When I was a toddler, my parents used train travel because I was one noisy and annoying child. If I needed a nap, the private room was quiet. Easy to stretch one's legs without trying to climb over your seat mate on an airplane. I don't remember if there were private bathrooms, but the bathrooms in the regular couch cars were roomy.
It's worth looking into.
Why do you feel that the LO would benefit from this trip? Me, I was going to my nieces wedding 8 hrs away by car. My Mom's Dementia had worsened. I had been caring for her almost 2 yrs. I wanted to enjoy this wedding so I chose to place her in respite care.
Will she cooperate in staying in her seat? Keeping her seatbelt fastened? Keep her hands off of the person next to her? With air travel it is mostly not always about her, but about the other passengers.