Dreaming of a holiday? Caring for elderly relatives?
Dementia is always in the news, and for so many of us, caring for an elderly relative is a day to day reality. In 2023, over 700,000 people in the UK were looking after a relative with dementia. You are not alone!
We all need a break, but all too often, the thought of being out of contact or unable to visit your loved ones makes taking a holiday too difficult to consider. But ask yourself the question, ask your friends, ask your elderly relative, ‘Should I take the holiday I have been dreaming about?’ You might be pleasantly surprised by the answer. You might even find people are only too happy to volunteer to help.
Of course, everyone has different and changing needs, routines and capabilities, so there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. If you do choose to take a break, make a plan well in advance, and make sure everyone involved has plenty of notice. Here are some suggestions to include in your plan:
Share your itinerary and pin up printed copies around your relatives home. Make sure it includes useful phone numbers.
Nominate an emergency contact, perhaps a relative or trusted neighbour and leave a set of keys with them for emergencies.
Make a meal plan, and if you can, prepare frozen meals in advance.
In some cases, you may need to arrange for a daily visit from a carer or nurse. Try an agency like Visiting Angels or Bluebird Care.
Have a friend pop in each day, you could make a rota to ease the burden.
Make sure your hotel has free wifi and local mobile phone service.
Take out fully comprehensive travel insurance just in case you need to rush back.
Consider a safe, secure and reliable videophone service like Konnekt. The team at www.justsocare.com would love to explain how you can call home from anywhere in the world.
Send a postcard!
I hope this information proves to be useful. Have a great holiday and try to relax!
Just So Care