our professionals: COPING WITH DEMENTIA
Dementia In Perspective
Making a Utilitarian Road Trip a Memory-Making Journey
By Janet Standifer, M.Ed. CCC/SLP, CDP, CADDC, Dementia Trainer and Consultant
Q: I’m planning to bring my mom back home to
live with me. She was recently diagnosed with
dementia. Right now, she lives in an assisted
living center in Nevada. I’m driving up with a
U-Haul. I’m her only living child that’s left. My
friend suggested that a road trip with a demen-
tia patient might be scary. I think it might be my
last chance to travel with her before her person-
ality goes completely.
What do you think?
She’s at the stage where she repeats herself a
lot and is easily confused, but I’m hoping this
will be a pleasant trip and that we can make
some nice memories on the way home. I’m
taking my vacation from work and have just two
weeks.
Any suggestions for a smooth, fun road trip?
Signed,
Allison from Annetta
A: Allison, you are very smart to prepare for the
trip ahead of time, taking into consideration that
traveling with your mother may present with
multiple challenges due to the dementia. This
shows me that you are a loving and dedicated
daughter. Taking trips with someone who has
dementia can be enjoyable and quite memo-
rable for both of you but you must take extra
Dementia in Perspective
42
Janet Standifer
M.Ed. CCC/SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Certified Dementia Trainer
& Consultant
817-901-4658 • [email protected]
P.O. Box 2065, Weatherford, TX 76086 • www.jstandiferconsulting.com