Quick question about elderly adult with dimentia

[plutoloversmom]

My family is doing a trip on April with my grandfather. He has extreme dementia bordering closely to Alzheimer's.

 

[plutoloversmom]

Sorry using my phone got cut off. Any ideas on safety with him? He has a habit of forgetting where he is quickly. So he can't be alone at all. I'm very worried that he might get confused and walk away or leave the room while people are busy getting ready in the morning or getting ready for bed.

 

[amykathleen2005]

The dollar store sells door alarms that you place one piece on the door and one piece on the wall. It alarms when the pieces are not aligned. If you can get it to stick without damaging the door then it would be good.

 

[JennyDrake]

I have been 3x as a traveling companion to a senior w/ mobility issues and mild (initially) to moderate (memory reset every 15 min + sundowning) dementia.

She was never w/o someone (hence my going). I went into all restroom w/ her and waited outside the stall. If we needed food or drink, a family member went to fetch and I waited with her. She was not much "into" wandering but if she had done so, she had NO idea which resort, room, etc.

We only had one hiccup, which was really pretty funny--at AoA food court we had a mix up in communications and she was left by herself at the booth for a few minutes. We scrambled back to find she had joined a Hispanic family amd was eating THEIR breakfast WITH them!! <gasp!!> They could not have been nicer or more understanding and she bid them a cheerful, "Good bye!" as we led her back.

As far as the room, due to her mobility issues, she could not physically open the self closing door. She sleeps a great deal and we just made sure someone was there when she woke up.

 

[Bete]

For my mom who had Alzheimer's we used a wheelchair at all times. We bought a lightweight wheelchair which had a safety belt attached. We used the safety belt to secure her in the wheelchair. She didn't mind having the seatbelt on and she couldn't figure out how to release it. A gait belt around the person and the wheelchair could work, too if it were long enough. Between getting tired and not able to walk the entire park everyday this was our best solution. Normally, she used a walker at home and such. We mixed up the activities like doing a ride, then a show, then another ride and another show, then a ride and then lunch and so forth. You get the idea. This allowed the wheelchair pusher a rest. Wheelchairs can be used as walker and pushed by that person.

We bought a motion sensor that we used for the room. We lined it up with her bed and if she moved up it would go off. This only happened a few times, but it alerted us. These alarms are loud. We were lucky that she slept through the night mostly.

I agree with the other poster that this person should not be alone ever. There are family restrooms throughout the park and we preferred using them.

Finally, we had identification on the wheelchair and on her in her lanyard and it explained who she was and what resort and room we were at and our cell phone number. The lanyard was clear and very easy to see by anyone.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Although I don't have any personal experience with this, but what about buying a GPS tracker. I've read about ones that people attach to their kids' shoes in case they run off. There are also wrist watch types.

Other than that, I'd suggest some kind of wearable identification engraved with a cell phone contact number.

 

[plutoloversmom]

Thank you all for the replies. I like the idea if a motion sensor near the bed. And he will be sharing a room with another adult. I will also be checking out the door alarms. He is bringing his wheel chair with him because walking long distances is definitely hard on him. Thank you all I'm sure are trip is going to be extra special with him. I am definitely going to make sure he has all of his information with phone numbers clearly written on him somewhere.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I have cared for my dad at end of life stage with severe dementia and two grandmothers with Alzhiemers and have been to WDW many times so please do not be offended by what I am going to ask. Is he at a stage of the disease process where he will still enjoy WDW or will it be over stimulating and frustrating to him? We did not try to take any of these adults in my life to WDW, but often something as simple as a trip to McDonalds was more that they could cope with. Something would catch their eye and there was no leaving until they were satisfied by the distraction. Something as simple as a car ride could be disorienting and an escalator terrifying. My prayer is that your grandfather is still at a place where he will be awed and excited by all the sights and sounds of WDW, but I would be sure that if you are not his primary care giver that you talk to them and his doctor to be sure that it is the best thing for him to go. I do think you can keep him safe by all the means suggested here and having some one 1:1 for him at all times though this person can change daily if he can handle that change. Perhaps some more people that have taken family members with this disease process will post and give more insight than I can. Hugs for you....been there......done that.

 

[plutoloversmom]

He is still at a spot in life in which he enjoys things and gets excited by what is going on at the time, however 10 minutes later he will have forgotten that he did something. I'm hoping that he enjoys himself. We do have a person on the trip that is willing to stay at the resort and laze by the pool or go for short walks with him, if he isn't in a place to tolerate parks and crowds. I am a care giver by trade, so I understand most of the issues that will arise however my family doesn't quite understand. I'm just trying to be completely thorough. As prepared as I can be. With this disease even that us hard, because you never know from day to day.

 

[MSSANDRA]

It will not matter in the least that he does not remember anything 10 minutes later, you will remember it forever. Have a great trip!!!!

 

[lanejudy]

... And he will be sharing a room with another adult. ...

I also recommend that when the other adult needs bathroom time, he/she call another person into the room to sit with grandpa even if just for 2 minutes. Those few minutes while the responsible adult is otherwise indisposed could be the exact time he gets confused and decides to leave. Even an alarm won't be helpful if the person who hears it is in the shower at the time!

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Bete]

We found the best times with my mom was when she was upfront on parades. A few times she got a handshake from a character in the parade. She was delighted. She had no clue what the character was and it didn't matter. Sitting in a wheelchair without a front row view is somewhat hard for a parade. There are handicap areas that you can use for the parades. You will have to plan time for waiting for the parades to get the best view.

Next, the character meet and greets were good for her, too.

There are rides were she could stay in the wheelchair and those were the rides we concentrated on. We manage to do Soarin, but you will need to help him to his seat and fasten him on that ride. I was surprised but she enjoyed Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear. The first time on I showed her what to do for scoring and the next time she was able to do it. Her scores were not the greatest, but I made a big fuss about her scores anyway. She really thought she did well.

In World Showcase have some fun with the gifts shops. For example have him try on a sombero in Mexico. Let him rub the Buddha in China.

I think it's critical to make sure he has sunblock on and that he stays very hydrated. My mom liked the quick service restaurants best, followed by table service buffet restaurants.

You can get a DAS which may or may not help in your situation. Depending on all of what is going on with him you may get approved or not for one.

Finally, you may want to show him some u-tube videos about the Disney rides.
You can get a free Disney vacation video by signing up for one.

Enjoy the precious memories you will be making. Take plenty of pictures.

Just a side note: My mom was too weak to open the resort doors which really helped us to know she couldn't get out of the room on her own. We still never left her alone anywhere. All resort doors are not the same at Disney and some are easier to open than others.

 

[twinklebug]

Bump.

My dad has late stage 4 dimentia. I've been wondering if taking my parents into EPCOT would be too much for my dad. Even though this thread is 5 years old at this point it is still a good resource while I think on it. My gut tells me it would be too much on ME, not him.

 

[cmwade77]

The dollar store sells door alarms that you place one piece on the door and one piece on the wall. It alarms when the pieces are not aligned. If you can get it to stick without damaging the door then it would be good.

3M strips should do the trick for sticking to the door without damaging it.

 

[Allison Joy]

**EDIT** I didn't realize this thread was five years old, and I was going to delete this, but I can't see where to do that. Anyway, since someone intentionally bumped this, I guess I'll still post my tips for anyone who may need this resource in the future.**/edit**

Make sure you use the deadbolt and the latch, too, assuming it has both, espeically at night. Night usually makes things worse, as you probably already know. My dad passed from Lewy Body Dementia this past December. We took a trip with him in July 2017, so a year and a half before he passed. He was still doing pretty well at home at that time... could even leave him alone for a couple hours. Bear in mind that any change in his routine (Disney will be a big one) will likely set him "forward" on the dementia time line, if that makes sense. On this trip, my dad got out of my mom and dad's hotel room. My mom didn't hear him leave, and the staff found him wandering the halls. He also got extra confused. He thought his son, was a business partner, kept asking when we were going home, etc. He even got upset with us on the way home, insisting that we were tricking him. It was a hard trip on all of us. Worth it for him to see his granddaughter, but defintiley hard. So while I think it's awesome that you're taking him to Disney, just bear in mind that you may see behaviors you havne't seen yet. Unfortunately, as we learned, this will also be a "preview" for what he'll be like at home on a regular basis in later down the line. I'm typing this with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face, as I think of my dad and listen to a song that has special meaning to me, knowing my dad is now healed and doing better than he ever did here on earth. *sigh* I'll be thinking of you.

 

[twinklebug]

**EDIT** I didn't realize this thread was five years old, and I was going to delete this, but I can't see where to do that. Anyway, since someone intentionally bumped this, I guess I'll still post my tips for anyone who may need this resource in the future.**/edit**

Make sure you use the deadbolt and the latch, too, assuming it has both, espeically at night. Night usually makes things worse, as you probably already know. My dad passed from Lewy Body Dementia this past December. We took a trip with him in July 2017, so a year and a half before he passed. He was still doing pretty well at home at that time... could even leave him alone for a couple hours. Bear in mind that any change in his routine (Disney will be a big one) will likely set him "forward" on the dementia time line, if that makes sense. On this trip, my dad got out of my mom and dad's hotel room. My mom didn't hear him leave, and the staff found him wandering the halls. He also got extra confused. He thought his son, was a business partner, kept asking when we were going home, etc. He even got upset with us on the way home, insisting that we were tricking him. It was a hard trip on all of us. Worth it for him to see his granddaughter, but defintiley hard. So while I think it's awesome that you're taking him to Disney, just bear in mind that you may see behaviors you havne't seen yet. Unfortunately, as we learned, this will also be a "preview" for what he'll be like at home on a regular basis in later down the line. I'm typing this with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face, as I think of my dad and listen to a song that has special meaning to me, knowing my dad is now healed and doing better than he ever did here on earth. *sigh* I'll be thinking of you.

Thank you for sharing Allison. I'm the one who bumped this thread, and while my parents are just a few towns over from WDW your comments are most appreciated, and apply to some of the daily struggles my mom is having with dad.

I'm going to file my idea of taking them to EPCOT as a dream, and instead fish through tons of old slides dad took of us at EPCOT over the years. He may enjoy seeing those too if he recalls them.

 

[mamabunny]

Bump.

I've been wondering if taking my parents into EPCOT would be too much for my dad. Even though it's 5 years old at this point, his thread is a good resource while I think on it. My gut tells me it would be too much on ME, not him.

I will go ahead and leave this here in case it can help anyone else in the future.

I was my Mom's primary caregiver during her final years. I hope some of my experiences can help you have a better trip.

I can't stress enough to keep him hydrated - UTIs are common in ALZ/Dementia patients, and can wreak havoc under the most controlled circumstances.

If you (and any caregivers) have a bit of time, I fully recommend taking some time to go to the Message Boards at alz.org. There you will find a compassionate and experienced community of loved ones and caregivers who will become an invaluable resource to you as her condition progresses.

My mom had stroke-related Dementia, which presents with very similar symptoms to Alzheimers, and is often treated in a very similar fashion. I found those Message Boards to be a true lifeline more than once during our 5 years of caregiving in our home.

We took Mom back to WDW one last time, early on in her diagnosis. Here are my tips:

- I cannot stress this enough: prior to travel you need to have certain documentation in place. If this hasn't been done already, you need to make it a priority. The documentation that we NEVER left the house without was:
- Durable Power of Attorney
- Medical Power of Attorney
- Advanced Directives for Health Care
- State ID/Driver's License
- Medicare/Medicaid card (+ any "third party" insurance card(s)
- her "one sheet" that I kept updated (this is one sheet of paper, laminated, that had all of her medical info condensed, including her diagnosis, her current meds + doseages, her doctors contact info, and then helpful information (example: Don't shout her name at her because it makes her cry, do call her by her middle name, etc.)
If she should have a medical issue while you are traveling, you may potentially need any/all of those documents. Don't leave home without them.

- Hydrate him (and everyone else in your party) like crazy. Yep, you have more bathroom issues, but WDW can cause even the most healthy among us to be dehydrated - you don't realize how much you can sweat out in a day there! Even sitting all day on my ECV, I still need to hydrate more than at home.

- If he has a medication schedule, try to stick to it as closely as possible. Stay close to home meal times if possible as well. If you can't keep him on his meal schedule, try to stop for a snack. Routine is very important to Alzheimers/Dementia patients. Keeping his meds on schedule is even more important. Bring along at least 3 days extra medication (just in case) and if you fly, NEVER pack meds - carry them with you in your purse, or his carry on.

- If he has a comfort item, be sure to bring it. And bring a backup comfort item if he has one. My Mom's originally was her purse, but later became her blue zip-up sweatshirt hoody. Even if she didn't wear it, she liked to carry it with her. (her backup was a lap quilt she had made prior to the onset of her disease process) I kept both of them with us at all times when she had to travel, and I brought along 2 large two-gallon ziplock bags to store them in to help keep them clean.

Her Dementia (stroke-related) could often cause "catastrophic reactions" to things that we took for common. One night, she became afraid to toilet.

I will spare you the details, but it was horrifying. Not just the logistics of the clean-up (which still haunt me to this day) but just to see someone so afraid to go to the bathroom.

Luckily, we recognized the catastrophic reaction for what it was, so we could deal with it appropriately. Catastrophic reactions can occur at any time, but we noticed that the stress of travel could increase the chances for one, as well as the duration and severity. Sticking to routines, and keeping familiar items on hand can help.

- If you don't already, you will soon travel with a tote bag full of his care items. This may be anything from his "comforts" to toileting supplies, wipes, water bottles, folding cup, tissues, a trash bag, etc. If you rent a wheelchair for him, you can hang a standard backpack off the back on the handles to keep everything handy.

Whenever traveling, we would set up "bathroom kits" that I would create in a gallon zip-lock bag. It would have a fresh pair of briefs, a pair of nitrile* gloves, and a small supply of wipes in a sandwich size zip-lock bag. We would also include a fresh, clean damp washcloth folded in a separate ziplock bag. Because Mom sometimes got emotional during toileting (side effect of her strokes) I always popped in another sandwich bag with a few tissues folded up. In two separate 2-gallon zip-lock bags I would put one pair each of the soft knit pants she preferred to wear i case we needed a wardrobe change. As the day progressed, I would keep/consolidate any "extras" that we didn't use, and place soiled briefs, wipes, etc. into a ziplock to dispose of. Soiled washclothes went back into a ziplock bag for laundry. By packing everything "flat" in ziploc bags and squishing all the air out, it makes it super easy at Security/Bag check as well; they can see all the contents of every bag, and so won't have to go rooting around through everything.

*we only carry nitrile gloves so we don't accidentally expose someone with a Latex allergy to a trigger.

- If he is prone to wandering, I'm sure you have already thought about a lanyard with his name + a caregiver name and cell phone number, but, those can be removed. Pinning a name tag to his front might work, but if he has a bad moment, and removes it, then it does no good either. Same thing with "safety bracelets" (used for kiddos and Sr's alike); a determined person will just take it off. Some folks will use a Sharpie marker, and write contact info directly on the skin - works for kids, but fragile senior skin might not welcome that. In our case, I simply wrote the information on a 3 x 5 index card, folded it in half, and safety-pinned it to the *back* of her shirt or dress, typically at about the level of where her bra crossed her back. She couldn't reach it to remove it, and it was visible enough that if she needed help, someone would see it. Write "If I am lost" on the outside.

- If you are flying, remember that airports can be noisy, busy, and scary under the best of circumstances. Some Alzheimers patients do OK with that, but others can be stressed out by the loud noises (think jet engines backing away from the terminal, the beeping of the carts, etc.) and the stress of TSA checkpoints, so be prepared.

- Most airports have a fairly long walk from the curb to the gate, and from the gate to baggage claim/Disney's Magical Express, so you may want to rent or borrow a wheelchair from home for the entire trip if you are flying. Medical equipment (wheelchairs) flies for free, no additional charge, and you would be able to wheel her all the way down to the airplane door. The chair would be gate-checked and returned to you upon landing.

- If you drive, make sure that he is seated in the middle of the seat with someone on either side, or that any door he is next to is "child locked" so that he can't open it while the car is in motion. The first time my Mom tried to open a car door at 65 MPH I was shocked and stunned - and I stopped on the shoulder, moved her to the back seat and engaged the child safety locks. I had nightmares for years after that. It happens, and sometimes those cognitive "lapses" can be triggered at the most unexpected moments.

- We hung a Christmas bell on the interior Resort room door handle that would make noise if she tried to leave during the night. At home we had a "driveway alarm" system that would set off the alarm that I kept next to my bed if she got up in the night.

- Small, familiar things are important - bring his favorite soap and lotion, remember his favorite snacks, try to replicate his bedtime/morning routines from home as closely as possible. The more comfortable and relaxed he is, the better the trip will be for everyone. Pro tip: if he prefers showers, rent a roll-in shower room, and be prepared to help him in the bathroom. Ask housekeeping for LOTS of towels.

Like others here, I have walked this path with my Mom, and I know how difficult this is. Don't try to do everything - instead focus on doing what he wants to, and to making memories that you can re-visit in the future when he can no longer travel with you.

My Mom famously never smiled in pictures - except when we were at WDW! My favorite photo of her, ever, was taken on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, and she is laughing and smiling. We had just made "the turn", and she saw the Castle, and her face lit up.

​

Every time we go to MK, I stop on that spot, and blow her a kiss. We always eat lunch at The Plaza, because it was her favorite, and we have to ride Jungle Cruise (with a Dole Whip after!) for the same reason. She's always with us on those trips, in our hearts and memories.

Don't focus on the future... focus on having the best time you can now.

I wish for you the most magical, loving trip you can have.

 

[twinklebug]

That's a beautiful picture of your mom @mamabunny and your custom of sending up a kiss to her on that spot is a wonderful tribute to someone who raised an awesome daughter.

Thank you for all the tips! I'm sure they will come in handy.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I will go ahead and leave this here in case it can help anyone else in the future...

My Mom famously never smiled in pictures - except when we were at WDW! My favorite photo of her, ever, was taken on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, and she is laughing and smiling. We had just made "the turn", and she saw the Castle, and her face lit up.

View attachment 397944​

Every time we go to MK, I stop on that spot, and blow her a kiss. We always eat lunch at The Plaza, because it was her favorite, and we have to ride Jungle Cruise (with a Dole Whip after!) for the same reason. She's always with us on those trips, in our hearts and memories...

Thank you so much for this. It certainly helped, more than you know.

 

[sjrec]

I will go ahead and leave this here in case it can help anyone else in the future.

I was my Mom's primary caregiver during her final years. I hope some of my experiences can help you have a better trip.

I can't stress enough to keep him hydrated - UTIs are common in ALZ/Dementia patients, and can wreak havoc under the most controlled circumstances.

If you (and any caregivers) have a bit of time, I fully recommend taking some time to go to the Message Boards at alz.org. There you will find a compassionate and experienced community of loved ones and caregivers who will become an invaluable resource to you as her condition progresses.

My mom had stroke-related Dementia, which presents with very similar symptoms to Alzheimers, and is often treated in a very similar fashion. I found those Message Boards to be a true lifeline more than once during our 5 years of caregiving in our home.

We took Mom back to WDW one last time, early on in her diagnosis. Here are my tips:

- I cannot stress this enough: prior to travel you need to have certain documentation in place. If this hasn't been done already, you need to make it a priority. The documentation that we NEVER left the house without was:
- Durable Power of Attorney
- Medical Power of Attorney
- Advanced Directives for Health Care
- State ID/Driver's License
- Medicare/Medicaid card (+ any "third party" insurance card(s)
- her "one sheet" that I kept updated (this is one sheet of paper, laminated, that had all of her medical info condensed, including her diagnosis, her current meds + doseages, her doctors contact info, and then helpful information (example: Don't shout her name at her because it makes her cry, do call her by her middle name, etc.)
If she should have a medical issue while you are traveling, you may potentially need any/all of those documents. Don't leave home without them.

- Hydrate him (and everyone else in your party) like crazy. Yep, you have more bathroom issues, but WDW can cause even the most healthy among us to be dehydrated - you don't realize how much you can sweat out in a day there! Even sitting all day on my ECV, I still need to hydrate more than at home.

- If he has a medication schedule, try to stick to it as closely as possible. Stay close to home meal times if possible as well. If you can't keep him on his meal schedule, try to stop for a snack. Routine is very important to Alzheimers/Dementia patients. Keeping his meds on schedule is even more important. Bring along at least 3 days extra medication (just in case) and if you fly, NEVER pack meds - carry them with you in your purse, or his carry on.

- If he has a comfort item, be sure to bring it. And bring a backup comfort item if he has one. My Mom's originally was her purse, but later became her blue zip-up sweatshirt hoody. Even if she didn't wear it, she liked to carry it with her. (her backup was a lap quilt she had made prior to the onset of her disease process) I kept both of them with us at all times when she had to travel, and I brought along 2 large two-gallon ziplock bags to store them in to help keep them clean.

Her Dementia (stroke-related) could often cause "catastrophic reactions" to things that we took for common. One night, she became afraid to toilet.

I will spare you the details, but it was horrifying. Not just the logistics of the clean-up (which still haunt me to this day) but just to see someone so afraid to go to the bathroom.

Luckily, we recognized the catastrophic reaction for what it was, so we could deal with it appropriately. Catastrophic reactions can occur at any time, but we noticed that the stress of travel could increase the chances for one, as well as the duration and severity. Sticking to routines, and keeping familiar items on hand can help.

- If you don't already, you will soon travel with a tote bag full of his care items. This may be anything from his "comforts" to toileting supplies, wipes, water bottles, folding cup, tissues, a trash bag, etc. If you rent a wheelchair for him, you can hang a standard backpack off the back on the handles to keep everything handy.

Whenever traveling, we would set up "bathroom kits" that I would create in a gallon zip-lock bag. It would have a fresh pair of briefs, a pair of nitrile* gloves, and a small supply of wipes in a sandwich size zip-lock bag. We would also include a fresh, clean damp washcloth folded in a separate ziplock bag. Because Mom sometimes got emotional during toileting (side effect of her strokes) I always popped in another sandwich bag with a few tissues folded up. In two separate 2-gallon zip-lock bags I would put one pair each of the soft knit pants she preferred to wear i case we needed a wardrobe change. As the day progressed, I would keep/consolidate any "extras" that we didn't use, and place soiled briefs, wipes, etc. into a ziplock to dispose of. Soiled washclothes went back into a ziplock bag for laundry. By packing everything "flat" in ziploc bags and squishing all the air out, it makes it super easy at Security/Bag check as well; they can see all the contents of every bag, and so won't have to go rooting around through everything.

*we only carry nitrile gloves so we don't accidentally expose someone with a Latex allergy to a trigger.

- If he is prone to wandering, I'm sure you have already thought about a lanyard with his name + a caregiver name and cell phone number, but, those can be removed. Pinning a name tag to his front might work, but if he has a bad moment, and removes it, then it does no good either. Same thing with "safety bracelets" (used for kiddos and Sr's alike); a determined person will just take it off. Some folks will use a Sharpie marker, and write contact info directly on the skin - works for kids, but fragile senior skin might not welcome that. In our case, I simply wrote the information on a 3 x 5 index card, folded it in half, and safety-pinned it to the *back* of her shirt or dress, typically at about the level of where her bra crossed her back. She couldn't reach it to remove it, and it was visible enough that if she needed help, someone would see it. Write "If I am lost" on the outside.

- If you are flying, remember that airports can be noisy, busy, and scary under the best of circumstances. Some Alzheimers patients do OK with that, but others can be stressed out by the loud noises (think jet engines backing away from the terminal, the beeping of the carts, etc.) and the stress of TSA checkpoints, so be prepared.

- Most airports have a fairly long walk from the curb to the gate, and from the gate to baggage claim/Disney's Magical Express, so you may want to rent or borrow a wheelchair from home for the entire trip if you are flying. Medical equipment (wheelchairs) flies for free, no additional charge, and you would be able to wheel her all the way down to the airplane door. The chair would be gate-checked and returned to you upon landing.

- If you drive, make sure that he is seated in the middle of the seat with someone on either side, or that any door he is next to is "child locked" so that he can't open it while the car is in motion. The first time my Mom tried to open a car door at 65 MPH I was shocked and stunned - and I stopped on the shoulder, moved her to the back seat and engaged the child safety locks. I had nightmares for years after that. It happens, and sometimes those cognitive "lapses" can be triggered at the most unexpected moments.

- We hung a Christmas bell on the interior Resort room door handle that would make noise if she tried to leave during the night. At home we had a "driveway alarm" system that would set off the alarm that I kept next to my bed if she got up in the night.

- Small, familiar things are important - bring his favorite soap and lotion, remember his favorite snacks, try to replicate his bedtime/morning routines from home as closely as possible. The more comfortable and relaxed he is, the better the trip will be for everyone. Pro tip: if he prefers showers, rent a roll-in shower room, and be prepared to help him in the bathroom. Ask housekeeping for LOTS of towels.

Like others here, I have walked this path with my Mom, and I know how difficult this is. Don't try to do everything - instead focus on doing what he wants to, and to making memories that you can re-visit in the future when he can no longer travel with you.

My Mom famously never smiled in pictures - except when we were at WDW! My favorite photo of her, ever, was taken on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, and she is laughing and smiling. We had just made "the turn", and she saw the Castle, and her face lit up.

View attachment 397944​

Every time we go to MK, I stop on that spot, and blow her a kiss. We always eat lunch at The Plaza, because it was her favorite, and we have to ride Jungle Cruise (with a Dole Whip after!) for the same reason. She's always with us on those trips, in our hearts and memories.

Don't focus on the future... focus on having the best time you can now.

I wish for you the most magical, loving trip you can have.

What a lovely post. I’m sure this will help someone more than you will ever know.