Alzheimers!?
 

Anyone have opinoin, experience or any thing about Alzheimers?

How do they screen them?

What if they dont remember their name?

Me an adult daugther living In USA (legally).
I will pick her up (mom).

What when we leave USA to go back to her country?

I am asking this since we have "all" read that we mostly cant help our elderly.

Anyone? Thanks.

This would be an ideal situation for the disability card. (PDF at link.)

My Mom had Alzheimer's but we never tried air travel. It will depend on the level of disability, of course. If she can follow simple instructions and is not using a wheelchair, it should not be too bad. I suggest that if presented with an option, the AIT may be the best of a bad situation. She may not understand the pat down, and with a chronic medical condition the dangers of the scanners may be less of a concern.

Lost my dad to Alzheimer's last year. We never went anywhere by air in his last 5 years (partly due to the difficulty of traveling, and partly due directly to the TSA - both he and my mother were disgusted at what the agency was doing and what America had become - she still won't fly to this day).

Based on my experiences - and every case of Alzheimer's is different - it will depend on how far the disease has progressed. In the early stages he was forgetful, but still knew his name. He carried his retired military ID card *everywhere*, so establishing identity was a non-issue. A chat-down might have been problematic. Likewise, having a screener yell at him or order him around might have been problematic.

In the later stages, it would have been a real problem - to the point that he'd get angry and frustrated when he couldn't remember things. The risk of anger, resulting in headlines - either at the checkpoint or on a plane - was enough for us to not even want to travel by air. Period.

My advice, for what it's worth, is to determine the level of cognitive ability and judge whether travel is even advised. If it is, you will be far better off if an escort can travel with her (to explain the process, make sure she gets on the right flight, reassure her in unfamiliar surroundings, and to deal with any airline or TSA issues that might arise). If she displays anger or frustration it's entirely possible that you may run across a full-of-himself screener like the one at IAD that told a passenger (who was rightfully frustrated with checkpoint delays and arbitrary decisions) that "he would not be permitted through the checkpoint unless he were in a good mood".

When you say that you'll pick her up, you mean that you're flying TO her and then flying back with her to the U.S. for the visit, and then you'll accompany her all the way back to her home at the end of the visit. Anything less than that doesn't feel safe for someone with alzheimers who may have to deal with travel disruptions.

Nevermind security. I cannot imagine sending a relative with alzheimers to travel by plane unescorted. Depending on the degree of the disease, I just can't see it working at all. Imagine forgetting every couple minutes where you are, what you're doing in a cramped tube with no way out and knowing nobody around you, completely abandoned. I wouldn't even consider it.

My father has alzheimer's which wasn't too bad, the first time, from a smaller station, GRR. The second trip went through DTW, which was an unmitigated disaster. First he walks and responds slowly to nearly everything, and they don't like that. This was in the pre-snatch'n'grab days, but I know if that had happened, someone would have been brained with a cane. People who were born early in the 20th century just don't cotton to strangers taking indecent liberties.

For subsquent visits, I decided it was not worth the chance. He doesn't travel by commercial air any more. I go and get him, and take him home when he's ready to go home.

Ok. I wrote that I would fly to my home country and pick her up.

No way that she would fly alone.

I am just worring about her flying even with me.

If it gets to freaky I just have to take turns with my sibblings to take of her. In my home country.

Which will considering have people here in USA taking care of my home and animals.

Anyway, to the OP, I would have somebody travel with her and give frequent re-orientation, and keep commands very simple and direct. Just explain to the screener she is "handicapped" and you need to help her, don't go into further detail, and demand to be never separated. Speaking English is not a requirement for screening.

Are you sure she is fit to fly? How bad is the Alzheimer's? I would consult with your physician before you make the flight.

Cardiomd offers very good advice.

Also, it would not hurt to practice how she will respond to instructions. It that way you can learn exactly the words to use. If you say "Go through the metal detector," that would make sense to us but maybe not for her. "Mom, you need to walk under that arch. Be careful and do not touch it. I will be right behind you."

If using the scanner, "Mom, hold your hands up like this and stand still. I will be right here."

I do not see not making the flight as optional. I understand that she is bringing her mom to the US so that she can be her caregiver. A cruise would be an option but trans-Atlantic is slow and expensive.

Sorry to misunderstand. The OP was unclear as to where you'd pick her up.

The entire trip is going to be a stressful environment for the woman. Be patient. It may sound inappropriate to some, but a xanax might not be a bad thing. Been there, done that. It works to ease the trip for everyone.

She has stage 3 of alzheimers. She is fit to fly.

I have never met her physician. H e is in Sweden where she lives.

And so far she has not giving her permition to talk to him.

I am just trying to find out how TSA would treat her. If they would give her a hard time.
I want to find out as much as I possible can before it comes down to a decision about her care.
Thank you.

Dont worry. But I did write that I would pick her up.

I know about the xanax. And most calming drugs.Thank you anyway for mention it.

Any long trip is very stressful. Just want to know as much as I can before we decided .
I do live so far away from Sweden and it is going to be a lot of difficult decisions to make .

There's hardly a more YMMV situation than the one you intend to enter. I'd be positive and like to think that TSA will be understanding, but if it comes down to a full patdown and god forbid a granny style strip search, there'll be not much you can do except to be by her side and act as her advocate. On the plus side, almost all of the alzheimers sufferers I've ever met are very easy to deal with and are willing to go along with most situations without much fuss. Go into it with the attitude that everything will be fine and it most likely will.

And that depends on the person. Xanax would have sent my dad over the edge. It WOULD have been a problem. Seroquel was problematic (and I blame the docs for part of it 'cause they stopped Seroquel cold-turkey). Meds that work for some don't work for others.

I misunderstood the "pick her up", too. I thought it was on this end rather than escorting. That will go a long way to ease issues.

As far as TSA, it really will be YMMV. Some screeners will do well, others won't.

Are you bringing her from Sweden? If so, you also need to think about how CBP will treat here.

My mom at stage 3 would have been confused by the whole experience of flying, but she would have have been settled by talking in a calm and assuring manner. Of course, everyone is different. You might want to write or call ahead to the airport safety director or screening manager and talk about your concerns. You might even be able to get specific help in some airports.