Every year, a dedicated week shines a light on the challenges faced by individuals living with dementia and those who care for them. Dementia Action Week serves as an important opportunity to raise awareness for this.

This year we’re sharing some of our top tips to help with planning a day out with a loved one, who lives with dementia or a disability:

Check ahead:

Find out if the venue is suitable for your needs, and if it is dementia friendly or wheelchair accessible. You know what will suit your loved one best, but you could check if there is disabled parking close to the entrance or if there is a suitable cafe or quiet place to rest if needed. 

Try and go at quieter times:

If your loved one is living with dementia, they may find it harder to process information, so simple and less crowded places could be a good option for an outing.

Plan your journey:

Long car journeys can be a challenge, so try and find places of interest closer to home. If it is a longer journey time, check where there are places to stop along the way to help make it more comfortable and manageable for everyone.

‘Relaxed’ performances of shows or concerts:

These are designed to suit individuals or groups who have additional needs and who may feel more comfortable in a less formal environment. They are becoming more popular, so do keep an eye out for events local to you.

Don’t be disheartened if a day doesn’t go exactly to plan:

Just spending time together and having a change of scene can bring benefits to everyone.

We hope that you found our tips useful, find out more about our dementia care today.