How to Prepare for an Outing With a Loved One With Advanced Dementia

If your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s, you may feel like outings are impossible. You’re not alone. Going out in public with your loved ones with dementia can be difficult. However, this isn’t a reason to never take them out in public.

Outings can be beneficial for your loved ones. It can improve their mood, lower stress levels, and help them feel more orientated with reality.

Here are a few tips to help you combat the stress and turn outings into a smooth, enjoyable process for everyone.

Pack a bag of essentials

You know your loved one better than anyone. Always have on-hand items that would make them feel more comfortable and at ease. With a bag full of must-have essentials, you can help them feel comfortable and help you combat any mishaps. Consider items that could help make the experience more pleasant, where you’ll be going, and what you can expect from the outing.

Consider items such as:

Water bottle
Medications
Tissues and wipes
Medical and contact information
Any necessary legal documents
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Extra clothing

If you’re going somewhere like a park or the beach, you may want to also include items like an umbrella, books, magazines, or extra snacks.

Choose the right location

Since your loved one is prone to having displays of socially unaccepted behavior, you’ll want to be mindful of the location you choose.

For example, places like restaurants, movie theaters, or amusement parks can be overwhelming for your loved one. It can cause them to feel anxious and uneasy in their surroundings. Think about calm, familiar places that don’t have too many distractions, like a park or a coffee shop.

Keep your loved one in the know

As you know, changes in their schedule can upset their routine. Before you take your loved one out for an outing, prepare them for what they can expect from their day. Let them know where you will go, what you’ll do, and who you’ll see.

Whatever you do, try to keep it as close to their daily routine as possible to ensure they feel calm and in control of the situation.

Have an explanation

Always have a plan for the unexpected. Anything can happen when you have a loved one with advanced dementia. With an explanation prepared, you can help business owners or bystanders understand.

You can also forewarn or prepare individuals in the area as well. Let them know they have dementia or Alzheimer’s and have unpredictable behavior.

Consider the timing

Individuals with dementia tend to favor certain times of the day and week more than others. Know their schedule and plan an outing during a time when their spirits are high, and they feel comfortable enough to do something outside of their daily routine. This will help prevent them from feeling overwhelmed throughout the trip.

Stay calm and have fun!

It’s not always easy to take your loved ones out into public. It can be a stressful experience, but it’s always important to remain calm. Taking the time out of your day to improve your loved one’s quality of life is a great thing you’re doing. Always remember why you’re doing it, and try your best to remain calm, have fun, and cherish the moment you have with him.

Lean on the help of a caregiver

The good news is: You don’t need to do all this alone. The right caregivers are there to help you prepare for outings and give you the reassurance you need to have a good day out with your loved one.

The caregivers at Senior Care Companions, are here to help you with your daily tasks and give you the additional support you need to care for your loved ones. Our well-trained senior companions understand the challenges you face bringing your loved one on an outing and are here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Seniors need attention and love during the holidays, just like everyone else. Unfortunately, some people forget to visit their loved ones during the busiest times of the year.

Finding ways to take care of seniors during the holidays is extremely important. Doing so involves helping them with their physical, mental, and emotional needs. Let’s look into the ways you can take care of seniors during the holiday season.

Hire a Service

Some seniors might not be able to help themselves with different tasks such as:

Mobility to go places
Remembering important details and schedules
Assistance with motor skills

Whatever you may need, we here at Senior Care Companions can help. We offer various services to help seniors each day. You can find assistants to help them 24/7, or just a few hours of the day.

While you should help seniors when you can, you may need professional help. After all, you can’t be at their sides 24/7, so see if you can find a reliable service to look after them.

Plan Fun Activities

Seniors can face boredom during the holidays, especially if they don’t have people to spend time with them. Coming up with fun activities you can do with one another is important to their mental and emotional wellbeing. Potential activities include:

Sit down and play board games together
Enjoy holiday activities like eating or watching movies
Go for a walk through the park

Focus your attention on letting them have fun. Doing so can help you take care of them emotionally and mentally. For example, they could feel happy after the activities or thankful you thought of them.

Seniors can potentially become lonely and depressed during the holidays, so take the time to plan fun activities for them. Doing so can help them overcome the mundane and boring moments in their lives.

Prepare Them Ahead of Time

Some seniors may like to stick with their schedules. If you know seniors like this, you should prepare them before any activities. Some seniors may have health problems, so make sure you accommodate them.

You can do this in multiple ways such as:

Ensure they have a way to safely reach the areas if they have to use wheelchairs
Give them specific food if they have dietary restrictions
Show them pictures of who they’ll see at the event if they suffer from memory loss

You don’t want to worry them, so make sure you take some time to talk and prepare. This can help them understand the plan and feel comfortable during the activity.

Visit Them Regularly

Often people forget to help seniors with their mental and emotional health during the holidays. If you want to help them during the holidays, just visiting them is an easy way to make their day.

Visiting seniors can help them out in many ways:

Allows them to talk with someone
Shows them others care about their well-being
Help them with tasks or anything else they need

When you visit a senior, you can help them feel happy. You can also help them avoid feelings of loneliness or boredom if they have to live away from home. Even if you have seniors in your life who live on their own, you should visit them during the holidays.

Seniors recognize the time you take to visit them, so they’ll appreciate your efforts.

Ask Them What They Want

Sometimes, people try to make decisions for seniors, so you should communicate when possible. If you communicate with them, you can avoid some problems.

Ensure they do something they like and avoid boredom
Meet their personal needs and keep them safe
Learn more about them and their interests

These points can help you find an activity that will make the seniors happy. You don’t want to drag them to an activity they don’t like, so you need to communicate with them. That way, you can find something you’ll both enjoy.

Some people forget to remember each senior as a person. Make sure you show these seniors you care by asking them what they want. As you do so, you can form stronger relationships with them.

Final Comments

The holidays give you a great opportunity to show your love to the seniors in your life. Whether you want to help relatives in your family or the local seniors, you can make the holidays better for them.

If you want to help these seniors out, try out the ideas above. If you need assistance in taking care of the seniors in your life, reach out to Senior Care Companions.

Have any Questions? Just give us a call, we would love to help in any way.

“Quality Care You Can Trust – Since 2004”