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Traveling with a loved one who is living with dementia can be stressful for both your loved one and you as their caregiver. People with Alzheimer’s and dementia tend to struggle with, and be upset by, changes in their surroundings or routine. However, as a skilled nursing provider, we know there are steps you can take to make travel a less stressful experience for all involved.

Dementia Caregiver Strategies for Safe Travels

Preparation and patience are the keys to safe, uneventful, maybe even enjoyable trips. The more you can anticipate, the better. Below are some expert tips you can do to make the trip more enjoyable for them and for you.

• Have your loved one wear an identification bracelet. An ID bracelet, writing the person’s name on the tags in their clothing and having your contact information in their wallet are ways to help reconnect you if you get separated. It will also give you peace of mind that they can be found if you get separated.
  
• Carry medications and contact information with you. Especially if flying and checking bags, be sure that you carry on your loved one’s medications. You should also keep information about their medication doses and medical conditions with you. Plus, you should have contact information for their doctor and skilled nursing provider.
  
• Take reminders of home with you. Having familiar objects like their pillow, a favorite blanket or photos with them can help a person living with dementia or Alzheimer’s feel more comfortable and relaxed. These items can also distract your loved one from things that may be unfamiliar or upsetting. Think: redirecting attention.
  
• Minimize travel disruptions like layovers. The fewer times you have to introduce your loved one to a new environment the happier they are likely to be. If flying, take advantage of pre-boarding offers to give your loved one time to acclimate to their surroundings.
  
• Build buffer time into your schedule. Traveling with someone who is living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can take significantly longer than other trips, as they may need help with many tasks. Be sure you allow more time than you think is needed when planning your agenda. If you have experience with getting kids ready and traveling, it can be even more time consuming with an older adult.
  
• Consider the person’s capabilities. As dementia and Alzheimer’s disease progress, some trips may be too much for the person and/or for you. Have realistic expectations about what you and your loved one can accomplish. Consider the benefits of the planned trip and weigh that against the disruption and stress of the travel. It may very well be worth it, but the calculation is important to keep in mind.
  
• Weigh the benefits of staying at a hotel vs. in a relative’s home. In some cases, getting a room at a hotel may help minimize overstimulation that can be detrimental to an elder’s peace of mind. If you do stay at a hotel, let hotel staff know about any special needs your loved one has.
  
• Share your itinerary with other loved ones. Be sure family and friends know how, when and where you are traveling so they can be prepared to take action in an emergency.
  

Enjoy Your Change of Scenery

At our skilled nursing community in Loveland, we know that a change of scenery can be good for elders (including those with Alzheimer’s disease) and their caregivers under the right conditions. Traveling with your loved one experiencing dementia may give your loved one a boost emotionally and be important to their quality of life. With adequate planning, those trips can be less stressful and even enjoyable.

Knowing how to help elders get better sleep is part of loving and caring for older people. As people reach their elder years they tend to sleep less. Whether because of medical conditions that wake them repeatedly overnight or just changes in their biorhythms, it becomes more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. As a leader in elder care, we know that failing to achieve adequate restful sleep can result in a number of daytime issues including confusion, excessive sleepiness, difficulty focusing on important tasks like driving and an increased risk of falls.

What Prevents Elders From Getting Their Sleep?

In addition to health issues and natural cycle changes, there are other reasons that seniors sleep poorly, including:

1. Why do elders struggle with sleep?

Elders can struggle with sleep for a lot of reasons. Stress, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and even prescription medications can cause these struggles. Elders may also be diagnosed with medical conditions that make it harder for them to sleep.

2. What do elders stress about?

Elders worry about many of the same things that people of any age worry about. Concerns about their health can keep them awake, and so can financial problems or potential money issues. Changes in relationships are also stressful and can interrupt sleep for elders.

3. How does eating and drinking affect sleep for elders? And what about smoking?

Both caffeine and nicotine are stimulants. They make a person feel more awake. Using them around bedtime can make it hard to sleep. Relying on them when sleep is poor can lead to further sleep problems. While alcohol can make a person feel sleepy, it changes how the brain functions during sleep. It can actually make sleep less restful and may even keep people awake sometimes.

4. How can prescription medications impact sleep?

Many medications have side effects. Sometimes, they can cause wakefulness or make it hard for a person to get restful sleep. These medicines are usually prescribed for something specific, and the impacts on sleep are not intentional.

5. What medical conditions can make it harder to sleep?

There are many medical conditions that can affect sleep. One common one for elders is restless legs syndrome, or Willis-Ekborn Disease. People may experience unpleasant sensations in their legs that cause them to feel like they have to keep changing positions when they’re trying to sleep. Another common medical condition that affects sleep is sleep apnea. A number of things can cause this. People living with sleep apnea experience brief interruptions in normal breathing while sleeping that can cause them to wake repeatedly or to have sleep that isn’t restful.

Top Ways to Help Elders Get Their Sleep

Here are some strategies for getting a better night’s sleep:

• Sleep in a room that is comfortably cool and dark.
• Get more exercise during the day, preferably before dinner time, as late-day exercise may make it harder to fall asleep.
• Increase your exposure to natural light during the day (while being sure to use sunscreen).
• Decrease or eliminate the use of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. If you continue to consume them, do so earlier in the day.
• Keep your bedtime and morning waking time consistent.
• Use relaxation techniques like meditation and guided imagery before going to bed.
• Take action to address any issues that are causing you stress. Even if they can’t be completely resolved, making progress toward a solution can be helpful.
• Talk to your doctor about your medications if you believe they may be compromising your sleep.
• Get treatment for sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome or any other conditions you believe may be hindering your sleep.

Elder Care that Considers the Whole Person

We take a holistic approach to elder care at Green House Homes, and know that sleep is a key ingredient for health, happiness and well-being. Consequently, we do all we can to create an environment in our real-home setting that is interesting and stimulating during the day, but calm and restful at night. We do all we can to help elders get their sleep every time they go to bed.

Managing finances can become more challenging for elders, and eventually helping parents with their finances is often necessary. However, handing over control of their finances can feel as though they are surrendering some of their independence. They may be reluctant to turn over this important task, but as we frequently see in our elder care environment, with proper preparation this transition can take place smoothly, freeing the elder from what has become a time-consuming task and protecting them from potentially costly financial errors.

7 Proven Methods for Helping Parents Manage Their Money

In some cases, a loved one will request help. In others, you may start to notice that your assistance is needed. Either way, there are steps you can take to move smoothly into the role of “money manager.” Use the tactics below to ensure a stress-free transition.

• Be proactive about discussing future plans. It’s much better to have relaxed and unhurried conversations about an elder’s finances than to have to make a snap decision after a physical health or cognitive crisis. These conversations will also assure your loved one that you understand and honor their wishes regarding how their money is managed.
  
• Be vigilant about changes in cognitive capabilities. If you become aware that the person has started to forget to pay bills or is making other bookkeeping errors, it is time to take action. You may be able to suggest helping your parents with finances by paying the bills together as part of the conversation about how they want their money managed. If possible, demonstrate that it’s still their money and they get to make decisions, you are there to help execute their wishes.
  
• Get input from other family members as appropriate. In some cases, it will make sense for an elder to have just one person helping with their finances. In others, it may be a good idea to have help from multiple family members. Financial savvy seems like it may be the most important quality of the person chosen to manage the money, but the truth is, trust is the most important factor. Find the person the elder trusts.
  
• Start with a thorough financial review. Getting the “big picture” on all of an elder’s assets and liabilities up front can make it easier to see how, when and where assistance is or will be needed. This financial review can and should take place well before any transition is required.
  
• Involve a third party expert as needed. Some of the choices you and your loved one will have to make may be difficult. Getting input from an impartial third party like a financial advisor can simplify decision making.
  
• Establish power of attorney. At the appropriate time, it is important to get the legal authority to make decisions on behalf of the person, rather than just having their permission to do so. There is no requirement to begin making decisions or helping your parent(s) with their finances once you have the document in place. Having it completed sooner than later will give you both peace of mind that nothing will fall through the cracks.
  
• Keep the person “in the loop.” Your loved one will appreciate knowing what actions you are taking regarding their finances. After all, it is still the elder’s money and they can still exercise as much independence as possible.
  

Empowerment and Financial Security: Finding the Right Balance

At Green House Homes, our unique approach to elder care is focused on empowering elders to stay engaged and active as they age. That said, there clearly are times when certain responsibilities must be handed off to others. But when managed properly, these tricky transitions can go smoothly. And, ultimately helping a parent with their finances can allow them to enjoy more free time and pursue their passions.

When talking to a spouse, family member or friend with dementia, the growing difficulties in communicating with them effectively can be frustrating and disheartening. But, over time, you learn that what you say to them is less important than how you say it and that you are present for them. As a leading elder care provider, we tell families that you begin to understand that although the way you communicate is changing, it’s still critically important to them and to you that you continue to talk. We encourage families to understand that talking to someone who has dementia is talking to someone whose current reality is very different from yours and from what they used to be before dementia.

Keeping the Lines of Communication Open

To ensure your conversations with your loved one are as positive as possible, use the tips below.

DO’s

• Be aware of the person’s body language. In people with dementia, it may convey a different message than the words they are using. And, use positive non-verbal communication yourself such as a smile or gentle touch, and face the person so they understand they have your attention.
  
• Wait for them to collect their thoughts if it appears they have more to say. Try not to interrupt or rush them.
• Look for ways a story about the past may be intended to communicate. Use present-day concerns or emotions.
• Try to put yourself into their reality. If they are talking about something that is not actually happening, play along and ask questions so that you can join them wherever they are.
  
• Practice patience. Conversations may become repetitive, confusing, frustrating, and emotionally draining. Try to have discussions when you are rested and unhurried.
  

Don’ts 

• Avoid arguing with them. A person with dementia can rarely be convinced to change their mind. So, look for ways to take the emotion out of the conversation.
• Don’t stop talking to them even if they don’t or can’t respond. Very loving people with dementia sometimes say things they don’t mean. Try to remember it’s part of the disease.
  
• Don’t be offended if they say things to or about you that are unfair or hurtful. Speak slowly, make a clear transition from one topic to the next, and ask only one question at a time.
• Try not to get frustrated. Patience and gentle persistence are the keys to having a meaningful dialogue with a person dealing with dementia. If you are attempting to elicit a response, ask your question again in a different way, give an example, share your answer to the question, and above all else, keep talking. You can try again in a different conversation.
• Don’t get discouraged. Some days are better than others and every day is one more opportunity to show your care for someone who is dealing with dementia. Try different times of the day – oftentimes mornings are better for cognition. Try bringing them things they like such as flowers or chocolate chip cookies.
  

A Positive Environment for Uplifting Interactions

The real-home setting at Green House Homes is designed to make elders feel safe and comfortable. And, as experts in elder care, we know that a relaxed environment can help elders with dementia communicate more effectively.