• Consider if the person with dementia will cope with the travel, leaving their familiar surroundings to go to new environments and meet different people, before agreeing to a holiday. Planning a holiday to somewhere the person is familiar with such as a well-loved holiday house or a frequently visited spot is more likely to be successful.
• Keep it simple, stay local. If you are unsure as to how it will go try practice runs – day trips, overnight trips to nearby places to see how it goes.
• Plan well, be realistic, compromise if need be, be organised, plan for calamities and things going wrong. Always have an exit plan to come home early if things are going pear shaped.
• Plan simple holidays with minimal moving around. Stay at one place and avoid road trips to multiple places with multiple changes.
• Think carefully before agreeing to go on the “final Cruise” or flight to Europe together. It is very difficult to extradite yourselves from a ship or holiday involving a long-haul flight home.
• Regularly inform the person with dementia of the plans, make them an itinerary if need be.
• Make sure the person living with dementia has identification on them. Consider travelling with a bright red hat or jacket.
• Take a night-light. A small night-light plugged in may help the person to find their way to the bathroom in an unfamiliar place without getting lost or bumping into things.
• Inform others around you on the holiday of the situation, as you may need them to keep an extra eye out or give you assistance.

If you keep it simple and plan it well, you can look forward to an enjoyable holiday where you can both relax and enjoy yourselves.