Rosa and Arnaldo found it difficult to get away from their small business, but now their son and daughter-in-law were involved it seemed their time had come! They booked a trip to Italy to see Rosa’s sister. Unfortunately, months before they were about to leave, Arnaldo got his diagnosis. They felt confused and despondent.
Rosa and Arnaldo considered cancelling their trip, and much to Rosa’s bitter disappointment, their families also thought this best.
They attended a dementia educational program which included a range of activities and gave them opportunities to talk with other people recently diagnosed and ask a lot of the questions they both wanted to know about. Based on their experiences at this program, they were encouraged to reconsider cancelling their much-anticipated trip.
Rosa planned a slower-paced trip to accommodate Arnaldo’s needs. Together they made sure their flights were broken up into smaller legs and planned for rest time on their journey. In the end, it allowed them to see more! At their destinations, they still managed lots of sightseeing, but also allowed plenty of time to relax. There were a few minor issues, but nothing which they couldn’t deal with.
Rosa was pleased they made the trip. They can now treasure the photos and memories and reminisce with family about their experiences.
Plan to live well with dementia
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