Post from: Blisstree

MIT AgeLab provides tools to help families deal with drivers with dementia.

But for those with Alzheimer’s Disease, the adventure is often not fun. Being in unfamiliar surroundings with unfamiliar people can cause increased stress on those who rely on familiar environmental cues to maintain their reality and equilibrium.

Travel is not out of the question for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease. It’s just that extra planning is needed to help anticipate problems and situations that might cause distress.

Here are some things to consider when traveling with someone with Alzheimer’s Disease.

In the car

Never leave someone with Alzheimer’s Disease alone in the car, especially in a new environment.

Make sure seatbelts are done up before moving.

If possible, have more than one driver available, especially for long trips.

Plan regular rest stops and bathroom stops. If continence might be an issue, consider having the person wear protective pants.

If they become agitated while traveling in the car stop at the first available place. Don’t try to calm them while you are driving.

In General

Never leave them alone in unfamiliar surroundings.

Avoid very crowded places, especially if the person gets agitated easily.

Inform airlines and hotel staff that someone in your group has memory impairment. Let them know in advance of any special needs.

Make sure they are wearing identification at all times. Consider enrolling in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return program and inform them of all travel plans.

Keep plans simple. Try to avoid numerous or connecting flights. The fewer changes the better.

Take some familiar items with you, such as a deck of cards or other items that the person enjoys at home.

Carry emergency contacts and a mobile phone with you.

Further Reading:

The Alzheimer’s Association has put out two fact sheets – Travel Safety and Vacationing - that offer tips on traveling with people with Alzheimer’s.

Caregiver.com has a couple of detailed article ‘Travel Guidelines For People With Memory Disorders: Part One’ and Part Two.

Post from: Blisstree

Traveling with someone with Alzheimer’s Disease.

“He only hits the bushes on the side of the road once in awhile,” was a remark made to my husband and me about a family member.  (His keys “disappeared” permanently shortly after that.)

Some older people, like my dad at age 90, recognize they can no longer drive safely…and don’t want to drive.  My dad didn’t have Alzheimer’s, so perhaps could make his decision more rationally.  However, he wouldn’t turn in his license, so his and Mother’s car insurance premiums were very high.  He knew he wouldn’t drive, but there was something about turning in his license he simply couldn’t face.

A recent article, Driving Safe for Some with Alzheimer’s, seemed to indicate that researchers in the UK consider some Alzheimer’s patients safe drivers as long as they are monitored closely.  This would depend on how advanced their Alzheimer’s condition is. 

A few days after my husband and I were discussing that we needed to take Mother’s license away (even though other family members didn’t seem to recognize, that because of Alzheimer’s, she was becoming incapable of making split second decisions), she was involved in an accident.  Fortunately neither she nor the occupants in the other care were permanently injured (Mother had 14 stitches in her head).

However, I didn’t need to take the car keys nor her license away.  I simply didn’t okay her getting another car.  (Hers was too damaged to repair.)  Fortunately I was in control of her finances at that time, so Mother simply couldn’t go out and purchase one.

 Wearing a seat belt is something Alzheimer’s patients often don’t remember.  Mother didn’t have hers on, so was flung across the front seat and thus cut her head on the door handle. 

How have you handled the situation when an Alzheimer’s family member should no longer drive?  This often becomes a difficult one to make and carry out because of resistance from the Alzheimer’s victim and other family members. 

How have you handled the situation when an Alzheimer’s family member should no longer drive?  This often becomes a difficult one to make and carry out because of resistance from the Alzheimer’s victim and other family members. 

Input from others about how they solved the situation in their family would be most helpful.

Post from: Blisstree

Have You Had a Driver with Alzheimer’s in Your Family?

According to Dr. Desmond O’Neill, who co-wrote the analysis published in the June 20th edition of the British Medical journal, the clinical evidence led them to a conclusion that “…with frequent assessment of driving skills, the risk of accidents among older people with dementias was acceptably low for up to three years after diagnosis.” (Driving and Alzheimer’s)

Want to know more about whether someone with Alzheimer’s should be driving or not? Check out this ‘Practical Guide to Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Driving’ created by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc, the MIT Age Lab, and Connecticut Community Care, Inc.

Further reading:

Alzheimer’s: When to stop driving

Driving and Alzheimer’s Disease

Driving and the Person with Alzheimer’s Disease

Post from: Blisstree

Should those with Alzheimer’s Disease drive?

Motion Blindness and Alzheimer’s Disease

Caregiver Relief

Alzheimer’s Treatment Study

Driving and Dementia

Post from: Blisstree

Videos About Alzheimer’s Disease

This from NASCAR.com – ‘NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip has partnered with The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation to launch the “Waltrip Challenge“, a nationwide fundraising competition for Alzheimer’s disease research.’

The Waltrip Challenge offers fans the opportunity to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and also raise money for Alzheimer’s research.

Fans can register for the challenge at www.waltripchallenge.com. When registering, they create their own website for fundraising. From there, they can encourage family and friends to donate to the challenge.

So far, over $9800 have been raised.

The fan who raises the most money will win a ‘day at the races’ – an all-expense trip for two to Daytona 500 in 2008 where they will meet Michael Waltrip.

There is also an online instant win game for fans with an opportunity to win not only instant prizes, but also go into a draw for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip for two for the Best Western Race Day Experience in Phoenix, Arizona on 11th November, 2007.

The challenge ends on Nov 1, 2007.

(photo by sidehike)

Post from: Blisstree

What’s NASCAR have to do with Alzheimer’s Disease ?

These aren’t easy decisions for the family member and the person with signs of dementia. We encountered these problems with my parents and my husband’s father.  (His mother never learned to drive.)  Fortunately my father recognized that he shouldn’t be driving, so stopped of his own accord.

Researchers at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a training program for health care providers that posssibly will help them recognize unsafe drivers with dementia and learn how to discourage them from driving.  This latter part isn’t always easy.

This difficult situation is one that’s handled differently by laws in various states.  Even though a driving test may be required, that driver may be able to “pull themselves together” long enough to pass the test.  Often eyesight becomes a problem and inability to pass the eye test results in a license not being renewed. 

More on this topic also is found at Alzheimer’s Daily News.

Post from: Blisstree

When Should Dementia Drivers Stop Driving?