Any tips for taking my Mom with dementia on our annual vacation?

ChrisT20, good information in this article which was written by one of the website blog writers. https://www.agingcare.com/articles/traveling-with-dementia-patient-171028.htm

Her room will be connected to ours with no door outside but the deadbolt. She has trouble with doors that aren't locked. she has dementia but no ALZ proper diagnosis.

A condo… by the beach? How easy is the condo to get out of?

Without being alarmist, I would just like to suggest making sure she cannot leave her room easily.

But I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - with luck, she'll come up trumps and have a lovely time, and then so will you. Just be prepared to cut your losses and come home early if it's all going horribly wrong.

you dont say if your mum has dementia? my mum went to paris last may i dropped her with wheelchiar assistance to the airplane and my sister was there the other side to get her staff were great. Now mum is early stages vas dementia so i dont know but no problems at all as shes been to paris lots of times so knew my sisters area but still i was worried sick but as i said shes early stages so i think it depends now six months later NO way could i put her on a plane alone again but definetly shes ok to go any where in this country.

I would ask her doc but then you know her better than anyone and the big thing with this is "comfort zone" i know mums getting agitated just in town and wants to go home now?

I will call. her doctor is already out of our area. She lived 50 miles from me before moving her in with me. Her primary care is still there.

Not trying to scare you but my aunt took my uncle (he has AD) on a weeks vacation with our family a couple years ago and it was a nightmare. My uncle became agitated to the point of violence and was up all night. He kept saying he wanted to go home. My poor aunt was a wreck. I would talk to the doctor as was suggested.

thanks, think I've got most supplies covered, it's the unexpected and change in surroundings for her that scares me....

This is one area I have a lot of experience as we take Mom and Dad to the outer banks from Florida which is a 12 hour drive. Make sure you stop every hour or so to stretch her legs so she doesn't get a DVT. Make sure you have her medical records, meds refilled and locations of nearest ER and walk in clinic. Something has happened every year we have gone! Bring a first aid kit with bandaids, disposable ice packs, gauze Neosporin, ace wrap etc., as falls are very common in a strange setting. Be sure you are in the same bedroom or right next door so you can hear her. Since you are going to a condo, make sure you bring her favorite foods, any durable medical supplies, depends,etc. You can't always find the exact supplies you need in a different town. Also dehydration vs incontinence is an issue. Try to give liquids sparingly at the beginning of the trip, then increase as you get close to your destination to prevent dehydration. Maggie is right on about the sedative as sundowning is common on vacation.Try to share the driving with another family member as it is tiring traveling with a loved one with dementia. If she is able to go out of the condo, make reservations for meals as it can be chaotic in restaraunts with her. Also try to get some alone time for yourself as it is your vacation too. Good luck. My parents are very difficult to travel with, but the rewards of spending vacation time with them outweighs the daily grind at home.

She was in a nursing home till the money ran out. Still trying to get Medicaid so she can return. Living with me nearly 4 months and I'm already spent. No siblings or close relative.

Your profile says that your mom is in a nursing home. Could you clarify that?

I would certainly ask the MD about whether or not this is feasible. Bear in mind that you may be travelling outside of her health care coverage area, so check with the insurance company too. Carry her medical records with you, because they will inaccessible on nights and weekends. The five hour drive will be more like 8 or 9 with her frequent need to visit the toilet. You will be pretty much confined to the condo, because she can't be left alone.
I would look into a respite care for her at a nearby nursing home. Most will take a patient for a brief stay.

What a nice thing to do!!! I think she'll love it!!! I've always thought of doing that with mom, but . . . well . . . we aren't big on vacations. Tom's still working.

It'll certainly mess up her routine. Her comfort level? Hard to say. But since you've elected not to stay home INSTEAD because you don't have a care giver for her, I'd say you're willing to take the chance.

If she's like my mom (the only way I can judge), she'll sleep all the way there unless you wake her up for lunch or something.

If it were me, I'd get some mild sleeping pills prescribed by the doctor (along with a mild pain pill). 'Course I give that to her every night now so she'll sleep through the night. But I wouldn't take a VACATION with her without them.

I'd plan ahead for her food (mom gets a special low-salt/no-salt diet) to know how I'd handle that. And I'd let 'er rip.

See how close you can keep her routine . . . with my mom, it'd be where we're going to put the wheelchair so she can look out the window and sleep all day. *shrug*

If you're staying in a hotel or at a lodge/cabin, call them ahead of time and see if they have a list of babysitters. Plan on lining them up as you feel the need so you can get some alone time.

I'm sure others will say, "Are you NUTZ???" But you know your mom. And chances are? She won't be much different in another setting as long as you're there with her.

If YOU'RE there? She'll be fine, in my opinion. Go for it!