Skip to content
bg-blog-social-template_kayla-blog

How Do I Coordinate Outings for My Loved One Living with Dementia?

Written By: Kayla Dudley

In a recent dementia support group, we tried something a little different with local families: Bringing along a hat and some notecards, loved ones scribbled down some questions they had in regard to caring for their family member living with dementia. Drawing some topics from the hat, discussion on one subject, in particular, proved to be helpful for the group:

The coordination of outings for individuals living with dementia.

As most of us know, routines can be a vital aspect of a person living with dementia’s quality of life and the trajectory of their day. Taking them out of that routine is not something that should scare us, but rather, it’s something that we should pursue with the proper knowledge and tools in our belt. This blog post is going to provide you with some pointers I have gained through first-hand experience.

I have taken people living with dementia on a wide variety of outings. These range from trips to museums, clay art studios, populated restaurants, libraries, wildflower exhibits, and adventurous trips ranging from 45 minutes to an hour away from the community! There are many instances where I could have been intimidated by such ventures, but when you are equipped with the proper tools and education going into a situation, it gives you the confidence that you can handle anything that arises!

There are some common fears that I hear when it comes to taking loved ones away from their “home base” and into a public setting:

  1. “What if they don’t want to come back?”
  2. “What if they have a ‘meltdown’ while we are out in public?”
  3. “What if other people who are unfamiliar with dementia set them off?”
  4. “What if they ask ‘where am I ?’ when I bring them back home, and I don’t know how to respond?”

These are all excellent questions and probable scenarios. Rest assured, it’s going to be okay. Do not let the fear of the “what-ifs” get in the way of the beautiful service you are doing for your loved one by keeping them engaged in the local community and normalized living!

It’s important to acknowledge that we, as their loved ones and care partners, play a crucial role in setting up a successful outing for a person living with dementia (since they often lack the initiative to do so for themselves). Yes, all of these ‘what–ifs’ may occur, but the likelihood can decrease based on our preparedness.

Some helpful preparations include:

  1. A business card that can be handed out to the general public, which states something along the lines of “I’m with someone living with dementia. Please be patient.” At Bella Groves, the feedback we have received from these cards has been widely optimistic. This is a subtle way to preserve a person living with dementia’s dignity while setting others up for success in their interactions with them. We find these cards particularly helpful during medical appointments.

    Discreet Cards for a person living with dementia

  2. Consider businesses that have dementia education and are trained in working with this population of individuals. At Bella Groves, I train our community partners and volunteers prior to their collaborations with our community. This increases the likelihood that both the residents and those they engage with feel comfortable in their interactions with one another. If you don’t have access to businesses in your local area that are trained in dementia, then consider setting up a conversation with them about your loved one’s unique needs prior to your outing. The same is true for family members who are unfamiliar with the progression of a person living with dementia’s disease process. It’s important to prepare for family gatherings ahead of time, especially during holiday celebrations!
  3.  If your loved one is living in a memory care community, back your outings up to lunchtime or another event so that there is a natural “out” when it’s time to drop them back off. On more than one occasion after a community outing, I have had residents ask me, “Why am I here?” or “What is this place?” when I bring them back to Bella Groves, and it makes for an easy response when I can say, “Oh, this is where we are having lunch!” Not only is this an honest reply, but it also gives them time to settle back into their environment as they re-enter the community, eat with their peers, and recalibrate after an eventful morning!
  4. Keep the outing intentional and short: Sometimes, families unknowingly cause overstimulation for the person living with dementia by taking them out of the community for extended periods of time or surrounding them with too many people. We like to encourage families to stick to an hour or less for short and sweet, purposeful outings to grab an ice cream together or go for a ride!
  5. Consider internal events rather than external: If your loved one gets overstimulated by outings, it’s a good idea to consider participating with them in events that occur inside the home or memory care community. This not only allows for them to be around their peers in a familiar environment, but it also establishes you as a part of that environment, which signals to them that it is safe. We find that this is helpful in residents’ acclimating to a memory care community as their “home base.”

Most of all, I want to encourage you not to catastrophize the scenario if the person living with dementia begins to get upset during or following an outing. It is vital to realize that persons living with dementia pick up on the emotional wake of those around them, whether they can vocalize it or not! If you are calm, they are more likely to self-regulate as a result. Please remember that overstimulation can be a symptom of dementia, and sometimes, it doesn’t matter whether or not we adequately prepare for an outing. Have grace for yourself, and know that every scenario is a learning opportunity!

We encourage you to always orient to the person living with dementia reality rather than trying to reason or argue with them. At Bella Groves, we teach that we are our residents’ ally in every single problem that they face! To learn more about our community, reach out to us at Bella Groves. We would be delighted to meet you and provide any assistance we can offer!

01-15-2025 Bella Groves

Hobbies for People with Dementia: The Benefits of Journaling

Navigating the world of dementia can often feel like an overwhelming tide, both for those living with it and the care partners committed to supporting them. Dementia, a progressive condition that can affect memory, reasoning, communication, and other cognitive abilities, brings with it waves of emotional and physical challenges that impact daily life. For partners,…
02-01-2025 Bella Groves

Dementia Life Expectancy: Misconceptions vs. Reality

Caring for a person living with dementia is an emotional and deeply personal experience. It’s a role filled with joy, challenges, uncertainty, and—often—unanswered questions. Among the greatest concerns families face is understanding how dementia impacts life expectancy. How long will Mom live with this diagnosis? What factors influence her health and well-being? 
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
© Bella Groves. All Rights Reserved.