Holidays and dementia – things to consider

Travelling during coronavirus

Current national and local coronavirus restrictions may affect your holiday planning, including:

• where and when you can go
• the cost
• the paperwork you need
• how you travel (for example, if social distancing needs to be maintained).

You may also need to show proof of your vaccination status, or quarantine for a period of time on arrival in another country or when you return to the UK. Details such as the length and location of this isolation period will vary depending on circumstances.

If these limits apply, you will need to take them into account when planning a holiday. Consider how the person with dementia will feel about the restrictions. They may affect whether you and the person with dementia can or want to travel.

The government website provides regular updates on coronavirus and on travel within the UK and abroad. Check this information in good time as part of your holiday planning. Your holiday or travel provider may also be able to help.

Benefits of a person with dementia going on holiday

A well-planned holiday can have a positive impact on the wellbeing of the person with dementia and those around them.

Some of the benefits of going on holiday are included here. Click on the + symbols to read more.

Factors to consider when planning a holiday

How you plan your holiday will depend on your interests, personal preferences and budget.

When planning a trip for a person living with dementia, you should also consider how the person’s dementia affects their daily life. This will help you to decide on the right type of holiday for you and for the person you care for. 

Some things to consider are listed here. Click on the + symbols to read more.

Thinking about the person's individual needs

Deciding to book a trip away can be a big step. It can be difficult to know if someone with dementia will benefit from a holiday or struggle to settle into their new surroundings.

For some people with dementia, going on holiday can be confusing. They may need extra support when coping with a new environment or changes to their usual routine. 

To help you work out if the person with dementia would benefit from a holiday, ask yourself the following questions:

• Some people find travelling and holidays quite stressful. Has the person enjoyed going on holiday previously?
• How does the person usually manage in new surroundings? Would they become confused and distressed with the change in location, food, language or clothing?
• Travelling can sometimes involve big changes in environment. How do you think the person would respond to a change in temperature or time zone? For example, the person may need to dress differently to adapt to a place’s weather or culture.
• Getting to and from places can involve long journeys or several types of transport. Would the person be physically comfortable during the journey? Will they need help to get on and off whatever transport is used?
• If the journey involves passing through security checks (for example, in an airport), would the person understand the need to remove personal items, like jewellery or a turban?
• How will the person move around where they are staying? If they have mobility issues, is the accommodation on the ground floor, or are there accessible lifts? Is the surrounding area accessible?
• If the person needs extra support with going to the toilet, or if they have incontinence, will it be possible to manage this during the journey and  on holiday?
• If being able to practise a religion is important to the person, are there opportunities to do that while they are away?

Thinking about your needs

You may also find it hard to relax while providing support to a person with dementia on holiday.

It's important to think about yourself as well as the person you care for when making holiday plans. Supporting a person away from home can present more challenges. For example:

• Will you be able to contact your usual support network if you need advice or help while you are on holiday?
• If you are unwell while on holiday, will someone else be able to support the person?

Make sure to build in time to rest while you’re away or once you get home. This can help to make the holiday enjoyable and restful for you both.

Involving the person in the planning

When deciding whether or not to take some time away, it’s important to think about what kind of holiday is right for everyone. Talk to the person you’re caring for about whether they would like to go on holiday and involve them in the planning as much as possible.

A person with dementia may not be able to make this decision for themselves. This is known as lacking the ‘mental capacity’ to make that decision. If this is the case, you should consider whether going on holiday is in their best interests. 

If you're not able to travel

For some people with dementia a holiday may not be a good idea for a range of reasons. The thought of being away from a familiar setting or routine may make them anxious because of mobility or other needs. A person with dementia may also find the changes too confusing, or they may just not want to go away.

Try not to feel guilty if it isn’t possible to arrange a trip away from home. There are still ways to enjoy some of the benefits of a holiday without travelling. Some ideas are included here.

Ideas for bringing the holiday to the person

It may not be possible to travel. If this is the case, you may still be able to bring the benefits of a holiday to the person.

• Look for ways to have new experiences closer to home. For example, you could check if anywhere local offers some of the activities that you might have tried on holiday, like a dancing class. It may be possible to go on a day trip to somewhere nearby, instead of going on holiday.
• See if a particular food that the person associates with a holiday is available to order or buy. For example, if the person used to go on holiday to a particular country, check if there are nearby places that offer food from that region.
• Some tourist websites (such as museums) offer virtual ‘armchair’ sessions, where you can explore what they have to offer without leaving home.
• If a holiday would have helped the person to connect with their culture, it’s worth checking whether there are any culturally-specific groups or events held near you that the person could attend. 

There are also ways you can bring the culture to the person. For example, you could:

• ask family members to visit or set up video calls for them to spend time together that way
• look at books and photographs with the person
• share food that is important to their culture
• listen to or play music that the person can relate to.