Summer is a great time to get out and do things. Traveling out of town gives you something to look forward to and can be a very rewarding and fun experience.  If you are a caregiver for a loved one you may wonder if you should just stay home, but with careful planning you can still get away.  You just need to be a little more prepared for the unexpected.  Nancy Abrahamson, Caregiver Support Coordinator from the St. Croix County ADRC gives these tips to consider when planning a trip.

• Gather important documents:  insurance cards, passports, physician’s phone numbers, medication list, a recent photo and a summary of medical records.  Carry them with you.  Do not check them with your luggage in the event it doesn’t arrive with you because the information is private
• Gather medications noting if refills will be needed on any of them during the trip.  Ask for refills in advance.  Never travel with just enough as you may be delayed if flights or other transportation schedules change.
• Carry a list of emergency contacts.  You may want to purchase a wallet on a string to hold information so your loved one can wear it.
• Purchase an identity bracelet or necklace for your loved one with his or her name on it.  Safe Return provides excellent tracking should someone wander away.  This will help even with international travel.
• Ask your physician to write a letter for use with hotel or airlines should an emergency cause a sudden change in plans.  Consider travel insurance should you need to change tickets or accommodations. 
• Make up several cards with the name, address and phone number of where you are staying each night.  Place one of these in the pocket of your loved one daily.
• Never leave your loved one alone in a car, restaurant booth, etc. as wandering may become a problem in a strange location.
• Carry an “OCCUPIED” sign for the bathroom door as the process sometimes takes extra time.  You may need to bring your care receiver into the bathroom with you even if he or she if of the opposite sex.
• Stop every two hours when driving to take a loved one to the bathroom.  Carry a change of clothes in your bag or car.
• When possible, bring someone along to help manage things when you need to be away from your loved one.
• When flying, notify the attendants of your loved one’s dementia diagnosis and plan plenty of time between connecting flights.
• Plan frequent stops when driving to stretch legs and reduce anxiety.
• Try to maintain a schedule close to what you did at home to minimize disruption for your loved one.
• Leave an itinerary with family members and keep a copy with you at all times.

If you have any questions about traveling as a caregiver, please contact your family caregiver support program.   Happy trails!!

Used with permission from Nancy Abrahamson, 6/12