Sierra Ramos

Tips on Travelling with a Senior Who Has Dementia

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Travelling can still be enjoyable for seniors with dementia, especially in the early stages. If you are a senior caregiver, you could probably use a change in scenery. But before you hit the road, below are some tips to keep in mind if you are travelling by car with your mom and/or dad or another loved one with dementia.

  • Include Your Loved One in Making the Travel Plans

Perhaps there is somewhere that gives your loved one fond memories that he/she would like to visit. Be sure to discuss the plans and you can even give your loved one a copy of the itinerary.

  • Consider Bringing Another Travelling Companion

Another travelling companion can attend to your loved one’s needs so that you can remain focused on driving. You won’t enjoy your destination if you don’t arrive safely.

  • Let Others Know What to Expect and How They Can Help You

If you are going to visit family or friends, it is a good idea to advise them of any changes in your loved one’s mental state. Let them know what to expect and how they can help you. This will ward off any shock that can come if they are caught off guard.

  • Talk to Hotels in Advance About Your Needs

If you are staying at a hotel, talk to them about your needs and any potential difficulties. Have them inform you if they see your loved one walking around the hotel without you. You may even speak with them discreetly to avoid upsetting your loved one.

  • Bring Important Documents

Be sure to carry, and have your loved one carry, identification and copies of important documents, such as doctor’s information, current medications, insurance information and food and drug allergies.

  • Consider Respite Care

Respite care is short term care for a senior, whether in a community or at home. Care is provided on a temporary basis while a caretaker is on vacation or indisposed due to surgery or illness. If you can’t take your loved one travelling with you, or if they can’t go, then consider respite (temporary) care.

Make sure not to worry so much about problems because you want to enjoy yourself. May there be happy travels and many more trips to come!

Conducting the Perfect Tour at Your Senior Living Community

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When it comes to senior living, tours are an opportunity to showcase your community and close a deal, so you must be prepared and organized. In today’s market, the prospective resident is likely to already be informed about senior living before they walk through your doors for a tour, and instead of looking for answers to basic questions, they are looking for a wow factor. Below are some ways you can set the stage for a great tour!

  • Always be Prepared

It is a good idea for you and your staff members to take a practice tour around your community to make sure that everything is in place. Setting the stage for a good tour starts before the potential residents and/or their family arrive. Some tips to consider are making sure that any trash is picked up, the lights are turned on, the beds are made, the rooms are tidy and the bathrooms are clean.

  • Personally Welcome the Potential Residents by Name

A simple way to personalize your guests’ experience is to know their names, so it seems more meaningful. Try arranging place cards with the guests’ names to be displayed, such as on a reserved parking space. Warmly greet the prospects by name when they enter your community. Another good idea is before the tour starts, give your guests a personalized welcome folder with their name on it, so they feel like you truly care about them. In the folder, you can include your contact information, as well as additional information about your community.

  • Personalize the Tour

Make sure to ask the people that will be touring your community what amenities/services are important to them so that you can focus on that during their tour. Ask them about their hobbies and interests, so you can highlight the features that are most important to them so it doesn’t feel like a generic tour. Adding this type of personalization will be sure to make your community memorable.

  • Have Pleasant Follow-Ups

After they have toured, don’t just follow up with a generic phone call, try to be personable like writing a hand-written note. In the note, you can thank the potential residents for viewing your community and try to include personal aspects of conversation you may have had, or even a joke that was said.

You can make your community more memorable to potential residents when you add a little personalization to your tours because when they see you as a community that cares about their needs, they start to see your community as their new home.