I care for my mum along with my dad and she is in the later stages. I want to know if we are doing the right thing- I thing we are but advice is always nice. We try and have day trips out with my mum, I don't know if she gets anything out of them or not but can't bare to see her just sitting in the house all day. We have recently been to Whitby and a scarecrow festival in Kettlewell, neither of these days went without problems. We found that she didn't like to turn corners or walk on certain parts of the pavement. She refused to go up some steps but blocked the entrance way for other people. Obvioulsy she has no idea that she is creating a problem and we can't always understand why she won't do things as she can't really communicate. She walks but very slowly - does anyone thing she would be better in a wheelchair maybe her fears would be less then. Don't get me wrong we can deal with these issues just about but we don't want to upset my mum. Are we doing the right thing taking her out??? We are going to Cornwall on a weeks holiday next week, I have 2 teenage girls as well . Do other people take people out who are in the later stages as I never seem to come across anyone with any of the issues we have. We go places for my dad as well as it gets him out and on holiday. I'm going on a bit now just can never find any threads about days out or holidays.
Day trips/holidays
- Thread starter beckibee
- Start date
Well done for making the effort to entertain your mum.
My guess is that she's having problems with her spatial awareness and visual comprehension. Often people with dementia see things differently. She may not recognise that the steps are not flat surfaces, or the cracks in the pavement may appear to be big holes.
It also gets harder to co-ordination complex physical movements like climbing steps and getting in and out of a car. Does she shuffle when she walks, or lift her feet unnecessarily high in a stepping movement? These are signs of problems with physical co-ordination. I think if she has trouble changing direction as you say, then she's finding it hard going to manage walking in the street.
A folding wheelchair may become necessary as backup. She probably finds it tiring not only to walk but to negotiate unfamiliar obstacles. It is mentally very challenging to do this while coping with noise, smells, visual distractions, and strangers bustling around her. I'm not surprised that sometimes she 'freezes'. She's probably taking time to block out all that extra stimulus before she can start moving again.
My guess is that she's having problems with her spatial awareness and visual comprehension. Often people with dementia see things differently. She may not recognise that the steps are not flat surfaces, or the cracks in the pavement may appear to be big holes.
It also gets harder to co-ordination complex physical movements like climbing steps and getting in and out of a car. Does she shuffle when she walks, or lift her feet unnecessarily high in a stepping movement? These are signs of problems with physical co-ordination. I think if she has trouble changing direction as you say, then she's finding it hard going to manage walking in the street.
A folding wheelchair may become necessary as backup. She probably finds it tiring not only to walk but to negotiate unfamiliar obstacles. It is mentally very challenging to do this while coping with noise, smells, visual distractions, and strangers bustling around her. I'm not surprised that sometimes she 'freezes'. She's probably taking time to block out all that extra stimulus before she can start moving again.
Well done for keeping trying! My husband was diagnosed 13 years ago and we still go out and about. Over the last year I have had to make big changes to how we go about it but I'm still managing to find a way round things. I bought a folding wheelchair and he often pushes it along and then sits in it when he's tired. Yesterday we git back from a week in Lanzarote. I was only able to do this as I took a carer with me. I suppose one day I'll have to stop but I hope that day isn't here yet. Her's a picture if him and me I. The sea last week!
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I will look ar getting a wheelchair and see if thay helps with the fears. What a fantastit picture of Lanzrote hoping to take mum to Spain next year will definitely consider it more now. Good to know that I am right in keeping taking her out just couldn't bare to see her just sat there all day. Roll on next week for our trip to Cornwall.
Be sure you book special assistance at the airport. I have always found it excellent. I found out (by accident!) this time that a person can get an extra free baggage allowance if there are medical items to be carried. I phoned Ryanair and she confirmed this. She gave me 5kg extra baggage allowance for Bill and I packed all the continence supplies in it! It soon weighed 5kg! She organised for a letter to be emailed to me. It had the official Ryanair stamp on it and I had to present it at the check in with the extra bag. I could have had extra hand luggage for him but opted for hold luggage. There were 3 of us travelling together and I asked her if we could be sure of sitting together. She checked us in then and emailed be the boarding cards for the outward and return journeys! Most helpful
Enjoy your trip to Cornwall. x