Thoughts on taking a cruise with an Alzheimer's patient?

Grammy7 has not returned. Probably did not get responses she wanted to hear. Unfollowed.

Grammy7: Imho, this query has come up before by another poster. I believe that it is not a good idea to take an Alzheimer's patient on a cruise ship.

I was cruise ship medical staff for over 10 years. We saw many, many people similar to your husband get very confused and agitated. The largest ships are worse for this. Long passage ways and strange surroundings and movement. Any medications for motion sickness can make this acutely worse. Lack of sleep due to time changes and confusion with over stimulation with noise, surroundings and dining choices. If they get sick with a respiratory or GI illness on board, which is not uncommon, the dementia complicates things. Lots of medical disembarkations to foreign hospitals. Then the spouse has to somehow shepherd them home once discharged from a foreign hospital. Not fun. Lots of falls and broken hips and shoulders. I would go by car, closer to home, and go watch the ocean and have a nice walk on the dock. Stay in a nice hotel.

Are your husband's ability to be social and to be alone for short periods of time proven in unfamiliar surroundings? Has he experienced being bumped into by a boasterous person in an unfamiliar and crowded place?

My husband also did not wander for the longest time but a switch suddenly turned on recently and he walks around the car and then away from it. He also loves people and lost his filter about putting his hands on strangers, not inappropriately but too quickly. He also touches service dogs that have clear "don't touch" signs on them. He wants to hug everyone. And he recently started to stare at children too. These are all suddened new behaviors.

I need so much to get the heck away but, and this may sound cruel, what fun is it to still have to caregive on a vacation, I'll need a vacation after the vacation and worse what sense does it make to spend money for two when only one will remember it. No, really, am I not seeing this right?

If I had a child with special needs I'd most likely go. If I had a family and in consideration for the other children and husband I would easily take a trip. But as for myself it would be too much work just he and I.

Anyway, there are several agencies that provide special needs vacation plans. My support group had cruises before Covid with the staff and entertainers on ship prepared to accommodate the travelers.

Could you possibly go with a friend or bunch of girlfriends.

I wish you well, and bon voyage.

I don't know what mid-stage Alzheimer's is. If you can help me there, I might have an idea. If I missed your post describing this, please forgive me.