Safety and Travel Tips

Safety at home

Safety at home begins with adapting the environment to support the person with Alzheimer's changing abilities. Be sure to re-evaluate home safety measures regularly as new issues may arise.

Evaluate your environment

A person with dementia may be at risk in certain areas of the home or outdoors. Pay special attention to garages, work rooms, basements and outside areas.

Be sure to always have working fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in the house. Test them regularly to make sure they will operate in an emergency.
Lock or disguise hazardous areas. Cover doors and locks with a painted mural or cloth. Use swinging or folding doors to hide entrances to the kitchen, stairwell or garage.
Install locks out of sight. Place deadbolts either high or low on exterior doors to make it difficult for the person to wander out of the house.
Remove locks in bathrooms or bedrooms so the person cannot get locked inside.
Use child-proof locks and door knob covers to limit access to places where knives, appliances and poisonous cleaning fluids are stored.
Enroll the person in MedicAlert + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return^®, a 24-hour nationwide emergency response service for individuals with Alzheimer's or related dementia that wander or who have a medical emergency.

Avoid injury during daily activities

Most accidents in the home occur during daily activities such as eating, bathing and using the restroom. Take special precautions at these times.

Watch the temperature of water and food - it may be difficult to tell the difference between hot and cold.
Install walk-in showers and grab bars in the shower or tub and at the edge of the vanity to allow for independent, safe movement.
Add textured stickers to slippery surfaces. Apply adhesives to keep thaw rugs and carpeting in place - or remove rugs completely.

Adapt to vision limitations

Dementia sometimes makes it difficult for a person to tell between colors and understand what he or she sees because of changes in vision.

Use contrasting colored rugs in front of doors or steps to help the individual anticipate staircases and room entrances. Avoid using a dark-colored rug because it may appear to be a "hole."
Remove throw rugs altogether to reduce the likelihood of tripping if the person has difficulty walking, or uses a cane or walker.
Create an even level of lighting by adding extra lights to entries, outside landings, areas between rooms, stairways and bathrooms.
Use night lights in hallways, bedrooms and bathrooms.

Safety while traveling

Traveling with a person who has dementia requires careful planning and flexibility to ensure safety, comfort and enjoyment for everyone. To make sure you have a safe trip, remember to do the following:

Pack copies of important documents; medication; travel itinerary; and a comfortable change of clothes in your carry on luggage. Bring books, puzzles, and/or head phones with IPOD or Mp3 player. Pick up water and snacks once you are inside the terminal and through security.
Stick with the familiar. Travel to known destinations that involve as few changes in daily routine as possible.
If you will be staying in a hotel, inform the staff ahead of time of your specific needs so they can be prepared to assist you. Ask for a room designed for those with a handicap and you will have more space that is easier to maneuver, often on the first floor.
Travel during the time of day that is best for the person with dementia.
Make sure you are enrolled in Medic Alert + Safe Return. Notify Colorado LifeTrak of your itinerary before you leave town if you are also enrolled in that program.
Contact the Alzheimer's Association to find the nearest Association office that can provide assistance at your travel destination.

Air Travel

Traveling in airports requires plenty of focus and attention. At times, the level of activity can be distracting, overwhelming or difficult to understand for someone with dementia. If you’re traveling by plane, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Prior to making a reservation on a particular airline, ensure that your special needs can be accommodated.
On the day you travel tell any airport personnel that you come into contact with that you are traveling with a person having special needs or specifically Alzheimer’s disease.
Let the ticket agent know you need special assistance when you check your bags and get your boarding pass.
Consider informing the TSA representative at the security checkpoint that you are traveling with a person with dementia. Special screening can be arranged for passengers with disabilities. If you or your companion is selected for additional security measures, let TSA know that you must remain together during this process.
Wear clothing without a belt, little or no jewelry and shoes that are easy to slip on and off.
Remind airport employees and in-flight crew members of your needs. Even if walking is not difficult, consider requesting a wheelchair so that an airport employee can be assigned to help you get from place to place in the airport. Ask to ride the people mover from gate to gate to save time and reduce your stress.
Board your plane first with those needing assistance and traveling with small children. You’ll have more time to move at your own pace down the jet bridge and get settled without the added stress of people having to stand in the aisle and wait for you.
Make sure the flight attendant knows you need assistance before you land. Ask to have a wheel chair or escort meet you when you land to help you get to your connecting flight or baggage claim.

Special Assistance Programs for Air Travel

One example of an airline offering special assistance to passengers is the Frontier Scout program at DIA. Passengers arriving, departing and connecting in Denver with Frontier can access a Scout, a safe compassionate escort for what can be a confusing and exhausting part of the journey.

The team of 151 specially trained Frontier Scouts include retired teachers, police officers and medical professionals. They have undergone rigorous training required by the DOT as well as an entire week of training provided by Frontier for such things as how to properly operate a wheelchair down a jet bridge, transferring passengers requiring assistance to and from an aisle chair and standards for driving the transport cart.

According to Judy Guyre, Supervisor for the Scout program, “it’s the heart of the Scout” to provide assistance to those they are escorting but they also have a special awareness and watch for passengers who may need help but haven’t specifically asked for it.

Scouts can provide an escort from the ticket counter when a passenger checks in for their boarding pass. Passengers may request a wheel chair or simply someone to help them navigate the busy airport to Security. If assistance is needed through Security because of a physical or cognitive disability like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, that will be provided. After passing through Security, the passenger will meet another Scout for an escort to the gate and can provide assistance until the call to board the plane.

However, no matter which airline you choose, it’s important to note that ticket agents, gate agents and even flight attendants can’t help unless they know help is needed and welcomed. Checking the Need Special Assistance box online when you purchase your tickets isn’t enough. Accompany your family member or friend into the airport and make sure assistance is requested at the ticket counter to ensure your loved one will get safely to their destination.