April 11, 2024
If you have dementia, have another disability or a chronic illness or support somebody you love and are concerned about going somewhere new then, its important to recognise you are not alone. In a survey created by Jim Eccleston, Duncan Stewart and myself in January, we were shocked to find 76% of the one million Scottish Households who have a family member with a chronic health condition or a disability are not planning any holidays.
Routine and staying in our own environment can be reassuring and relaxing, but we all need need a change of scene, a break and to get looked after.
Sadly, rather than encourage, many professionals discourage people with disabilities and chronic illnesses from travelling and staying in new places, which further erodes confidence and prevents people from taking a well deserved short break to spend quality time together.
So, this week I wanted to write about how to make that family, friends or holiday accommodation a real home from home where you can be comfortable, relax and not worry about any issues which might arise.
For me a home has never been about bricks and mortar. A home has been about the welcome you get from the people and pets who live there when you come through the door. And, it’s about those familiar and reassuring senses you feel as soon as you walk through that door. The sound of music playing from the kitchen, the smell of a favourite dinner cooking, the feel of your pillow when you go to sleep and the happy smiling photos of the family dotted around the house.
If you are living with a chronic health condition or a disability there will certainly be additional equipment, requirements and emergency plans that need to be in place in a new accommodation. This can all seem very daunting. However, with a significant amount of time and support from friends, family, professionals and your accommodation provider most of these can be put in place.
However, the dementia community can get anxious in an unfamiliar environment. So, what can we do to make a new place comfortable for them?
Many people feel it’s not possible and decide they will never leave their home.
But, this is unrealistic. There will be emergency situations when you have to go to hospital, move out of your house or maybe move to a care home.
Understanding the important things that make somewhere a comfortable home for a person diagnosed with dementia means if your loved one needs to go to hospital or move our of their home you can limit their stress by understanding the important things that can be replicated to makes somewhere feel more like home.
One way you can be confident about what is important and improve your health and well-being is by spending time with family, friends or going on holiday.
So, how can you make a home from home in new accommodation?
For me its all about listening to your hearts and working out together what makes your home feel like home and replicating the important things in your new accommodation.
From my experiences, one of the main worries people have is about getting lost in a new home and maybe going into their grandchildren’s bed in the middle of the night, not being able to find the toilet in time and having an accident.
In a care home this is solved with good signage , and effective night lights. You can purchase reuse-able signs which don’t leave any marks and, place night lights beside the bed and toilet in new accommodations to solve this.
Then, there are the other important things which are closer to our hearts. Access to that favourite biscuit with your tea. Finding a comfortable seat to watch you favourite TV programme and then have a short snooze. Being able to make a cup of tea for yourself when you wake up suddenly in the middle of the night. Having a chat about the things you love and sharing worries about the things that make you anxious.
The latter are things that are easy to provide in a friends, family or holiday accommodation. Thats because you will be there with somebody you know really well. In a hospital and care home environment you can provide the staff with details in something like a My Future Care Handbook, created by Zoe Harris.
I hope this newsletter makes you consider going on holiday not just to find freedom and joy through meeting new people, having new experiences and spending quality time with the people you love, but as a way in which you can support your loved on with dementia in any future changes in their environment which are out of their control.
If you would like to find out any additional hints and tips please download my free e-book Holidaying with Dementia Your 10-Step Approach and/or take advantage of our Free 30 minute Dementia Holiday Advice video or phone consultation by completing our form and booking a time to speak.
For me home is most certainly where the heart is.
I would love to hear what you think makes a home for you and if you think its different for people living with dementia.
