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How can you possibly take a woman with dementia on a road trip to national parks??? Uneven terrain to walk on, no knowledge of where restrooms are, unfamiliar surroundings constantly......the list is endless. A cruise is a better idea if she's able to handle change, crowds, airports, the possibility of seasickness, is socially appropriate.......etc. If she is incontinent, that presents a whole new set of issues.

Taking a dementia patient out of her familiar environment normally presents a big challenge and can easily ruin everyone's good time. My 40 yr old daughter in law went on a cruise of the British Isles recently and was SO seasick she had to be carried around the sites she waited a year to see. No medications worked for her, and that scenario was not thought of beforehand. It wiped her out, an otherwise young and healthy woman, trapped on the sea for a week.

I suggest you take a weekend away locally as a test trip before you book anything else.

Good luck to you.
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waytomisery Dec 13, 2025
My Mom got so sea sick too on the only cruise her and Dad went on. Mom said never again . The cruise was after a tropical storm , was still rough seas. They were in their mid 60’s.
Dad was fine , I guess since he had been in the Navy , but that was right after high school . He said he didn’t feel the ship rock . 🤷‍♀️.
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You know your wife a good deal better than WE do, Kirk, so I am leaving this in your hands. I will suggest before a big long road trip you try a trip away to a nearby town with something you would enjoy seeing or doing. And before a cruise I would speak with cruise managers about your intention, about your wife's overall needs, and about anything special you should know or be aware of.

Many people travel with family in the early stages of dementia and find it little different than being at home. So the answer to this is only contingent on your wife and her ability to travel. Test it out for the short term so you are better able to judge what might work for longer plans.

Best of luck.
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How is she at restaurants? Can she handle going into a women’s rest room while you wait outside? Can she sit still for the journey?

Do you take her to a lot of places now (stores, church, other peoples’ homes, restaurants etc) or is it too much trouble? Does she have “accidents”?

Is she really reliant on routine to know what to do and expect and what foods will be available? Is she OK around strangers? Does she try to exit the car while it is moving? Does she get easily confused and upset? Is she going to be able to participate in or enjoy any of the excursions, sightseeing, visiting with friends or family, etc?
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How progressed is her dementia? Just asking because the constant change in routine and venue might cause her distress from disorieantation and her behavior may deteriorate. Other things may be a "deal-breaker", like if she wanders (and there's always a first time for this to happen).

Will anyone else be going with you on this trip?

How long will you be gone?

Are you taking her for her sake?

Or because you want this "vacation"? It won't be much of a vacation if you have issues with her while on the road and far from home...

Please go into this with your eyes wide open.
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