chamima Posted August 8, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Someone on a thread here recently wrote about meeting a recently widowed woman whose family had convinced to cruise alone. They said she was obviously in the beginning stages of dementia and couldn't believe her family had let her go off on the cruise. When I read this it reminded me of that story and the scary consequences. http://www.victoriabuzz.com/group-effort-to-locate-a-missing-65-year-old-cruise-ship-passenger-and-return-her-home-safely/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted August 8, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Kudos to all who contributed to making this a story with a happy ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ma Bell Posted August 8, 2015 #3 Share Posted August 8, 2015 It's nice to know there are still people who care enough to do the right thing.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynbar Posted August 8, 2015 #4 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I can speak to this from personal experience, luckily not to the extent described in the article. Several years ago, my elderly widowed father arranged to go on a group tour which catered heavily to single senior citizens. It was a bus tour to Canada, not too far from our Massachusetts home. Dad lived near me and seemed fine, I saw him often and noticed no issues in his daily routine. Well, the trip didn't go well at all --- he wandered away from the group once but was quickly found, got agitated on several occasions, just seemed really flustered much of the time. After he got home (with a personal escort), his doctor gave him a battery of tests and diagnosed early dementia. The doctor also told us that often patients in his condition can do perfectly fine in their own environment, but become disoriented quickly when away from that cocoon. I'm sure the other travelers and tour directors thought we were a terrible family, but we honestly were not aware. Of course, he never traveled by himself again, and he did fine for several years until he broke a hip (another story entirely.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted August 8, 2015 #5 Share Posted August 8, 2015 What a wonderful story and so glad it had a happy ending! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare chemmo Posted August 8, 2015 #6 Share Posted August 8, 2015 thanks to all who go above and beyond. All too often in this world it is about responsibility and liabilitY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHEZMARYLOU Posted August 8, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 8, 2015 This is a great story about doing the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted August 9, 2015 #8 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Folks with memory/dementia issues can hide it quite well, especially, if they're home and "comfortable".. It's a tricky situation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamthesea Posted August 9, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 9, 2015 WOW...only 65 years old. :( I can speak to this from personal experience, luckily not to the extent described in the article. Several years ago, my elderly widowed father arranged to go on a group tour which catered heavily to single senior citizens. It was a bus tour to Canada, not too far from our Massachusetts home. Dad lived near me and seemed fine, I saw him often and noticed no issues in his daily routine. Well, the trip didn't go well at all --- he wandered away from the group once but was quickly found, got agitated on several occasions, just seemed really flustered much of the time. After he got home (with a personal escort), his doctor gave him a battery of tests and diagnosed early dementia. The doctor also told us that often patients in his condition can do perfectly fine in their own environment, but become disoriented quickly when away from that cocoon. I'm sure the other travelers and tour directors thought we were a terrible family, but we honestly were not aware. Of course, he never traveled by himself again, and he did fine for several years until he broke a hip (another story entirely.) This sounds like my Dad on his last cruise. My DH and I went on a port tour and left my parents on the ship . They had already been to that particular port and wanted to rest on the ship. When we returned, we went straight to their room to find that my father missing and my mother was not sure where he was or how long he had been gone. We went looking for him and found him in a hallway with two very nice women (one a nurse.) They explained that he had been in the hot tub, and had trouble climbing out. Once they got him out and situated, they asked him where his stateroom was and they would walk with him. He had no idea what his stateroom number was or where it was! :eek: The nurse asked me if he had dementia. I was shocked as although he was around 83 at the time, he had always been sharp as a tak. Guess what happened the next few months? :( PS...He also died shortly after breaking a hip and the discovery that he had throat cancer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cl.klink Posted August 9, 2015 #10 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I can speak to this from personal experience, luckily not to the extent described in the article. Several years ago, my elderly widowed father arranged to go on a group tour which catered heavily to single senior citizens. It was a bus tour to Canada, not too far from our Massachusetts home. Dad lived near me and seemed fine, I saw him often and noticed no issues in his daily routine. Well, the trip didn't go well at all --- he wandered away from the group once but was quickly found, got agitated on several occasions, just seemed really flustered much of the time. After he got home (with a personal escort), his doctor gave him a battery of tests and diagnosed early dementia. The doctor also told us that often patients in his condition can do perfectly fine in their own environment, but become disoriented quickly when away from that cocoon. I'm sure the other travelers and tour directors thought we were a terrible family, but we honestly were not aware. Of course, he never traveled by himself again, and he did fine for several years until he broke a hip (another story entirely.) I am a dementia specialist neurologist and this is very common.. - Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varoo Posted August 9, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Kudos to all who contributed to making this a story with a happy ending. It's nice to know there are still people who care enough to do the right thing.:) It is not at all surprising that those people were so helpful and nice. After all, they are Canadians. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WpgCruise Posted August 9, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 9, 2015 What a refreshing news report. We are so often bombarded with news report of the inhumanity we inflict on each other. It is marvelous to read a report of people coming together to simply help someone in need. Sincere congratulations to all involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canusa1 Posted August 9, 2015 #13 Share Posted August 9, 2015 It is not at all surprising that those people were so helpful and nice. After all, they are Canadians. ;) I wish I had a like button. One would hope that if this situation happened in any cruise port that the outcome would be the same. But sad to say it would not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynbar Posted August 9, 2015 #14 Share Posted August 9, 2015 I am a dementia specialist neurologist and this is very common.. - Joel Thank you for your kind words, I have always thought that the tour guides and other passengers must have thought we were a terrible, uncaring family. Of course, Dad never got any more brochures from that tour company! He did travel a couple more times, including a long postponed trip to London, but never without family and we were always vigilant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cl.klink Posted August 9, 2015 #15 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Thank you for your kind words, I have always thought that the tour guides and other passengers must have thought we were a terrible, uncaring family. Of course, Dad never got any more brochures from that tour company! He did travel a couple more times, including a long postponed trip to London, but never without family and we were always vigilant. You are good to have been so attentive. For many people, it is not so, unfortunately. - Joel Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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