Cruising with dementia

[Vertygo]

9 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Thank you for posting this!

 

Perhaps you could re-post it on the Travel Insurance sub-forum here on CC?

This is really important for others to know about more generally... both about "reading the terms carefully" and also about how it might be worth it if you think the denial isn't appropriate.

 

GC

 

Will do, thanks for the suggestion!

[Vertygo]

15 hours ago, Condocat said:

My heart is with you through this difficult journey, but maybe this can give you some peace of mind to enjoy your time together.

 

Apple has come out with "Air Tags" for tracking luggage that also have other applications.  Many people are using them during vacations to location their children at theme parks!  This might be "insurance" to find your husband if he ever slipped away from your watchful eyes.

 

The Apple Air Tags are small, thin and lightweight, about the size of a quarter and can be easily secured to a belt loop or inside a pocket with a holder.  The Air Tag is paired with your iPhone where you can track the person/item.

 

The Air Tags come in a pack of 4 for $100 and includes batteries.

 

We use a Jio-bit paired to my iPhone. I'm notified if my husband leaves the "safe area" of our WiFi, so know if he wanders when I'm distracted. I can track by map, much like finding an address. I understand the Air Tag range is only 800 meters.

Costs $139 or less, with monthly charge of $9-15 depending on length of contract.

It's been a great stress reliever.

[Mura]

We sailed with my mother from LA to Costa Rica in O's early days. She had not yet been diagnosed although my sister was convinced she had early Alzheimer's ... and she was right.  Mom enjoyed the cruise but stayed pretty much on board, not taking any shore excursions.  She made many friends on board and the staff was very solicitous. There was a wonderful 7' tall waiter in Terrace who always made sure that she was tended to.

 

Then in 2012 we did a Black Sea cruise on Regatta and one of the passengers was further into Alzheimer's than my Mom had been 10 years earlier.  We were a 16-person touring group (only established through our roll call) and everyone was very caring and diligent in making sure that she was okay.  I remember sitting with her while the others made a large hike up a mountain l.. forget exactly where that was. She did quite well on that cruise.

 

I think it does matter how far into the ailment your relative is.  But dementia patients CAN enjoy a trip like this and I don't think it's unusual for other passengers to want to help.

 

It did seem to Howard and myself that this trip was really too much for this lady at that time, but she had many people willing to help out. Which did make a big difference.

 

It really depends on how "early" this onset is, I think.

 

Mura

[boatbob]

Am very nervous about dining with others.  DH has dementia.  Was only able to make speciality rest. res. to share the table - do you think that I can take care of this once on board?  Who should I speak to?   Useless to call - on hold for  too long - then - person doesn't know anything!!

Thanks,  Barbara

[Kristal Blade]

I am very grateful for finding this thread. Thank you Josie, for starting this up.

My husband has early dementia now.

 

We cruised in May this year. I put fridge magnets on our cabin door to make it identifiable. That was great till 2 of them were pinched! I did get them back after going to the purser. That was on a Cunard ship. Hubby has very fragmented memories of our trip, but when I remind him he can recall events.

 

Today we booked a 10 day cruise on Sirena in October this year. He said we should pack in as much as we can while his brain is still functioning. I know he will need to write down our cabin number, but he should be able to find his way “home” if he has been to an event on his own.

 

Josie, I hope your cruise has been a success.

[HiFi43]

Barbara (boatbob)… I suspect Oceania will do their best to accommodate your request when you are on board. Find the Food and Beverage Director or one of his direct reports, the Restaurant Manager, and either of them can help you. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, boatbob said:

Am very nervous about dining with others.  DH has dementia.  Was only able to make speciality rest. res. to share the table - do you think that I can take care of this once on board?  Who should I speak to?   Useless to call - on hold for  too long - then - person doesn't know anything!!

Thanks,  Barbara

I would go to the reservation desk on Deck 5  & explain the situation

 

[Vertygo]

2 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

 

Today we booked a 10 day cruise on Sirena in October this year. He said we should pack in as much as we can while his brain is still functioning. I know he will need to write down our cabin number, but he should be able to find his way “home” if he has been to an event on his own.

 

 

 

Definitely travel while you can. I've made photo books of the trips we were able to do & we like to look through them together. We were able to travel quite a bit, just didn't count on a global pandemic giving us a hard stop for a year and a half. Plan to adapt as the disease progresses & needs change.

Bon Voyage!!

[ToxM]

Sirena is a great size and very easy to navigate around. There was a lovely couple on our TA and the wife had dementia, staff were lovely with her and guests also very caring with her as well. 

 

 

[Kristal Blade]

7 hours ago, Vertygo said:

 

Definitely travel while you can. I've made photo books of the trips we were able to do & we like to look through them together. We were able to travel quite a bit, just didn't count on a global pandemic giving us a hard stop for a year and a half. Plan to adapt as the disease progresses & needs change.

Bon Voyage!!

Thanks for the advice. Like you we were great travelers before Covid. We have dozens of photo books plus albums when we used to print our holiday snaps. 
I’m taking each day as it comes, so far only minor changes, such as rearranging my kitchen after he puts the dishes away in the wrong place and repeating our daily calendar of events multiple times.

[Vertygo]

18 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

Thanks for the advice. Like you we were great travelers before Covid. We have dozens of photo books plus albums when we used to print our holiday snaps. 
I’m taking each day as it comes, so far only minor changes, such as rearranging my kitchen after he puts the dishes away in the wrong place and repeating our daily calendar of events multiple times.

 

Sounds like this is your "sweet spot" for travel. We were able to do a couple of cruises & multiple long distance USA trips during that phase. Unfortunately no longer able to travel, but I have wonderful memories.

Do as much as you can, while you can.

[Kristal Blade]

15 hours ago, Vertygo said:

 

Sounds like this is your "sweet spot" for travel. We were able to do a couple of cruises & multiple long distance USA trips during that phase. Unfortunately no longer able to travel, but I have wonderful memories.

Do as much as you can, while you can.

Thank you Vertygo,

We have 3 cruises coming up this year. We get cruise catalogues and emails every day and are very easily persuaded to travel now that Covid seems to be calming down.

Memories of holidays and trips are magical. I keep a holiday diary so we can re read our experiences too.

Bless you.

[Cairn Mom]

Some years back, my husband was diagnosed a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to strokes. Unfortunately, although still considered MCI, his condition has progressed. We recently took a Princess cruise to Norway & Iceland that had been planned pre-pandemic. He couldn’t manage to navigate the ship by himself. The Sky is a big boat! We made it work, but such an active itinerary was too much for him.  
Based on what we learned from our time on the Sky , we booked a Mediterranean cruise on the Riviera for September. We have been to most of these ports many times before. I deliberately took a concierge cabin on the same floor as the lounge. This way, he could go down the hall for a snack.  He doesn’t wander. If he doesn’t want to go, he’ll sit in our stateroom and watch TV while I go to an activity or walk around in port. I plan to tell the concierge about his condition after we board. I like the magnet idea. I am going to order one now. I chose half-day ship excursions for us. He went on all our excursions on the last cruise. They were longer and more strenuous so I expect he’ll participate in these as well. I am very hopeful that this trip will go well. After reading this thread, I feel even better about our decision to cruise with Oceania. 

[Mura]

We took my mother with us on a very early Oceania cruise (early 2004 I think) when my sister suspected she was early Alzheimer's but Mom wasn't actually diagnosed until shortly after that.  Everyone was very solicitous of her.  There was a 7 foot tall waiter in Terrace who made sure she had everything she needed.  She didn't leave the ship but made many friends on board.

 

The only real problem was when she returned home to Los Angeles, for which my sister blamed me.  Only we were continuing on the ship!  I had asked two separate friends of hers to look out for her on the way home (since she would be traveling alone) but once she got to LAX they evidently were very busy with their own plans to get out of the airport.  One airport worker was very impatient with her when she was clearly puzzled.  Finally another worker saw that she was still sitting in the airport after a few hours and he got her into a cab that took her home.

 

On a 2012 Black Sea cruise (I've mentioned this before on CC but probably not here) we had an ad hoc Roll Call group of about 16, one of whom was into Alzheimer's.  We all took care of her!

 

I think you will find that many passengers will be understanding and look after your husband should it come to that.

 

Mura

[Cairn Mom]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

We took my mother with us on a very early Oceania cruise (early 2004 I think) when my sister suspected she was early Alzheimer's but Mom wasn't actually diagnosed until shortly after that.  Everyone was very solicitous of her.  There was a 7 foot tall waiter in Terrace who made sure she had everything she needed.  She didn't leave the ship but made many friends on board.

 

The only real problem was when she returned home to Los Angeles, for which my sister blamed me.  Only we were continuing on the ship!  I had asked two separate friends of hers to look out for her on the way home (since she would be traveling alone) but once she got to LAX they evidently were very busy with their own plans to get out of the airport.  One airport worker was very impatient with her when she was clearly puzzled.  Finally another worker saw that she was still sitting in the airport after a few hours and he got her into a cab that took her home.

 

On a 2012 Black Sea cruise (I've mentioned this before on CC but probably not here) we had an ad hoc Roll Call group of about 16, one of whom was into Alzheimer's.  We all took care of her!

 

I think you will find that many passengers will be understanding and look after your husband should it come to that.

 

Mura

That’s some story about the airport. I’m glad your mom made it home ok.
I have found that people are generally kind. Today, while I was out for my walk,  I found my neighbor wandering around. She has some form of dementia and left the house while her husband was in the bathroom.  I really don’t know how long she was out there before I happened upon her. Fortunately, I had her daughter’s phone number. They were so grateful. I am glad fate put me there at the right time. She was a little shaken and confused  but totally fine.
I don’t think I’m exceptional. I believe most people would have taken care of my neighbor until help arrived. Maybe I’m naïve but I don’t think so lol

[pinotlover]

I’ve found that allowing someone with even “ MCI” to free wander the ship is often a poor decision. Love ones with them daily are often in denial of how far that “ mild” has progressed. IMO, if one chooses to bring such a companion aboard ship, they should be prepared to stay with them when they leave their cabin.