Planning Meaningful Day Trips with a Loved One Who Has Dementia

Getting outside or away from home for short periods of time can boost anyone’s mood. But if you’re caring for a loved one with dementia either at home or if they live in a community, you may be worried about taking them out and about. This blog post will offer suggestions on day trips for people with dementia that will give both of you an opportunity to do something together.

What to Know Before

When planning an outing for a senior with dementia, make sure where you’re going offers accessible seating, parking, walkways and restrooms. Some other things to consider include:

• Avoid crowds: During the weekday, places like botanical gardens, museums, libraries, and outdoor parks are typically less crowded. And outdoor spaces feel more open and less confining. Plus, being in nature can help slow cognitive decline.
• Memory trips: Visiting places that hold memories of your loved one’s early life are always a good option. Consider driving through a past neighborhood, visiting a place of work, or participating in a beloved hobby.
• Ask for suggestions: If you’re having difficulty thinking of places to take your loved one, ask them what they’d like to do. You can get an idea of what they’re in the mood for or locations they’d like to visit.
• Be prepared: Make sure you pack all the necessary things you need to take on your day trip, including:
  • Money for extra costs (e.g., food, water, snacks, etc.)
  • Tickets to venues like a play or movie theater
  • Identification for both you and your loved one
  • Medication for your family member
  • Snacks, water, lunch, or whatever fits your outing
  • Comfortable clothing that matches the weather
  • Any needed incontinence items

Benefits of Outings for Seniors

• Mood boost: Being out in the fresh air and sunshine offers physical and mental benefits. You can get a dose of vitamin D, which can help keep bones and joints strong. Being outside can also help enhance mood, improve sleep and reduce stress. Suggested activities include:
  • Taking a walk
  • Planting flowers
  • Watering plants
  • Feeding the birds
  • Raking leaves
  • Going to the park
  • Sitting on a bench or a swing
  • Watching dogs at a dog park
  • Playing catch or tossing a ball
  • Playing horseshoes
  • Flying a kite
  • Go fishing
  • Visiting a fruit farm or petting zoo
  • Visiting a beach or forest preserve
  • Setting up a picnic on the lawn or in the backyard
  • Sitting on the porch and drinking coffee, hot chocolate or lemonade
• Socializing: A day trip with other people can be a perfect opportunity to create a sense of friendship and belonging to help improve social skills and lift spirits. Some activity ideas include:
  • Visiting a museum
  • Interacting with babies, children or animals
  • Visiting a favorite place around town, such as a restaurant, park, or shopping mall
  • Taking a dementia-friendly yoga or tai chi class
  • Going swimming or doing water aerobics

Dementia-Friendly Activities to do in North Chicago

If you’re looking for some ideas for day trips close to home or near our memory community, here are a few suggestions:

• The Bahá’í House of Worship: Offering a quiet and safe space to meditate  and revitalize your sense of purpose in the world, The Bahá’í House also has nine gardens and a circle walk. Meditation may help reduce stress or anxiety, improve insomnia, reduce cardiovascular disease risk and reduce blood pressure.
• Chicago Botanical Garden: In addition to beautifully landscaped gardens and grounds, the Chicago Botanical Garden also offers a calendar full of events, including art and photography classes as well as lectures.
• Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview: Observe livestock and poultry in pastures, sheds and coops. There are also easy walking paths and benches for sitting.
• Centennial Prairie Garden: The Wilmette Park District continues to develop a Native Illinois Prairie garden at the north end of Centennial Park. It’s expected to take a few years to become fully established, but you watch its transformation as it starts to attract numerous birds, butterflies and other wildlife.
• The Somme Preserves: With three different preserves, choose from 269-acre Somme Woods, the Somme Prairie Grove Nature Preserve featuring grassland with scattered trees, or the 74-acre Somme Prairie Nature Preserve with open grassland and a network of unpaved footpaths.

Discover the Benefits of The Artis Way in Wilmette

Artis Senior Living of Wilmette is located just north of Chicago in Wilmette, IL, near Glenview. Our Memory Care community provides the comforts of home in a secure environment. An open neighborhood design ensures residents can move throughout the community safely, enjoying outdoor spaces and walking trails, while our personalized approach empowers each resident to shine in their own unique way. To learn more about the benefits of our community, contact us today.