Alzheimers Daycare?

[cruisinonup]

Just curious to know if Carnival offers any kind of daycare for adults onboard the ships? I kind of doubt they do but I thought I would ask anyway. Thanks.

[leoandhugh]

I do not think any cruise line has that kind of service:) I would expect their lawyers would be unwilling to let the line expose itself to the potential liability involved.

[Splinter]

No, and I would not advise it even if they did. Most people with Alzheimers do very poorly in new and unfamiliar environments. You would do much better to pay a caregiver to stay with them in your home while you take a vacation than to drag them along on something like a cruise and then expect someone else to care for them.

[donaldsc]

This may sound insensitive and certainly betrays my ignorance of alzheimers but what would someone with the disease get from a cruise?

 

DON

[cruisinonup]

There are people out there who have problems that might not necessarily have Alzheimers. People who are in early stages of Alzheimers could get alot out of a cruise. Also, people who have some forms of dementia are very happy to travel. To be honest, I feel even sorrier for people who have children with mental or physical disabilities who live their lives taking care of them and they could use a break but don't feel like they could leave them except for short periods of time. Just because someone isn't perfect doesn't mean that they shouldn't be entitled to having a nice trip. They may not take from it the full potential but that is no reason to exclude them. To the person who feels like someone with a form of dementia couldn't enjoy a cruise, I suggest that you spend some time in a nursing home or other facility and learn more about what it is like. Hopefully, you won't be one of those people one day because I guarantee your opinion would be different now. I really did not expect that the cruise line would offer any kind of service like this, I was just asking.

[donaldsc]

As I said on my first post, I did not want to sound insensitive but I was just wondering. Thanks for the info.

 

DON

[cruisinonup]

I would like to add a few things. First of all, there are many situations where someone with a disability should not travel. People requiring serious medical care or with severe dementia would probably not do well. The people caring for them should know their limits and make decisions accordingly. There are people with different limitations that are going to be lifelong for them. They can be minor limitations where they can function very normally but they do need some assistance. Those are the people who would probably travel best on a cruise. For people who have minor limitations, they can enjoy some of the same things that the average person enjoys. My dad likes to watch the shows, eat the food, sunbathe and swim to name a few things. Even if there wasn't much that someone with a disability could enjoy, the trip could be for their caregivers. There are millions of caregivers around the globe who day in and day out care for loved ones or friends. Most of these people get NO break ever. Most are afraid to leave their loved ones for fear that someone else would not care for them properly. If the cruise lines offered a service to care for those people for a few hours a day, the caregivers would line up by the busload to come aboard. The cruiselines would have to put some limitations on what type of disablities that they would accept. The average person who is not in my shoes or any other caregiver's shoes has no idea the kind of work involved in caring for someone else. I am one of the lucky ones who can bring my father out successfully because his limitations are minor. He begs me to take him places and travel with him. I would like to challenge the cruiselines to come up with a way to provide a service for those cruisers who are in this situation. Yes, it might be a liability, but ,there are waivers that could be required and most would gladly sign them just to be able to get away. I would love to see the day this service was provided, but, I don't expect it will ever happen.

[pms4104]

Can't imagine any cruiseline ever offering adult daycare services. I would think that caring for alzheimer and dementia patients would require a fully trained nursing staff to operate the facility. Further, how would the line evaluate which potential patients/passengers are acceptable and which are too advanced to participate in the provided care?

 

Yes, I've been to the alzheimer areas of nursing homes and I do understand the progression of the disease. In fact, my father was afflicted and I watched him deteriorate until our only recourse was to place him in a locked, geriatric-psychiatric facility until he died.

 

Indeed, caregivers do need a break from their own job/routine with their loved ones. For the cruise, perhaps another family member or two could join the sailing and you all could take turns being with your father. Please do not interpret my post and my suggestion as snotty or whatever ... I'm certain that you are doing your best for your father.

[cruisinonup]

Dementia comes in many forms and not all dementia is Alzheimers related. I used the word Alzheimers because it is most well known. I agree that it would be difficult for a cruiseline to determine which people would be acceptable and which would not to take into some kind of program. I do think that it would be possible for a cruiseline to require a form signed by someone's family doctor before that person would be allowed to come onboard and be in a daycare facility. If the numbers were kept small enough, I don't think it would be that unreasonable for them to hire a nurse to be in charge and have other trained medical staff that could watch disabled people for short amounts of time. I am not proposing that the cruiseline take this on as a fulltime undertaking or that they offer to keep watch on loved ones for the length of the cruise. I think it would be reasonable to have them watch over cruisers who need assistance for maybe 4 hours a day. The cruiseline could also charge a fee for this service so that it this program would not cost them. I think that if this were an option for a caregiver, the caregivers would not only feel at ease on the ship, but they would spend more money while they had their free time onboard. I totally agree that there are many obstacles that will probably prevent this from ever happening.

[Amy from Delaware]

If you would be willing to pay for someone on the ship's staff to take care of your father a few hours a day, perhaps consider taking a caregiver with you and pay for (part of?) their cruise. It's something we're considering for our upcoming cruise.

 

Taking your own caregiver means they will be dedicated to caring for your father according to whatever schedule you work out with them, and you can all get to know each other ahead of time and make sure you're all comfortable with each other and with the care requirements.

 

You do deserve respite from caregiving.

[cruisinonup]

When I started this post it was just something that I was posing a question to to maybe spark the interest of others and/or the cruiselines for something to consider. I did try to find someone to go on the last cruise that I took with my father, but, I did not have any luck finding someone to go with us. I did all of his care and, honestly, it was not a pleasant trip for me at all. For our upcoming trip, my whole family is going so they will help with my dad. I do not assume the full care of my father when we are at home and I am not at all in the same position as some other people who are full time caregivers. I have been trying to bring an interest to this because for those people who do care for loved ones full time, this service would be extremely valuable. I am overwhelmed just doing what I have to do part time with my dad. I cannot even imagine what it must be like to be with someone and care for someone 24 hours a day. Thanks for your advice and for all of those who responded. This has not been a personal call for help, but more of a quest for others who live this life full time.

[Tinknock50]

I am my Mom's full time caregiver. She has dementia and Parkison's, but she travels very well. She is not able to get out of her chair or move around, so she is safe for short periods of time if I want to do something else on the ship. She is happy in front of the TV. She also seems to enjoy the music venues I take her to on the ship.

 

Even though it is like taking your work with you, it is easier and costs about the same as paying for someone else to do it. Plus it is hard to find someone you can trust for a week.

 

She is also a sweetheart and smiles and laughs for me...and that is worth a million bucks! I hope I have her with me a long time yet.:)

[EileenN]

A few years ago, my DH and I took our learning disabled w/c bound daughter on our 7th cruise. She always enjoys them and so do we. So...we also took our 91 year old Aunt and her paid home health aide with us. Two h/c cabins with the balconies connecting. At first the Aunt was overwhelmed by the trip to the ship and boarding...a litttle disorentied for a few hours, but with a nap and a good nights sleep, she was a old self on the first full day at sea.

She is fully abled, owns a computer and reads avidly, but in a wheelchair from post polio. We all live together at home and know each others needs.

The trip was a blast, we did not do any excursions, but rented a car in Florida and toured. It wasn't easy, but one of the best memories we have. Perhaps if the ship had not been hit by a Rogue Wave, it might have been easier, but it was and it added a load of excitement to the trip and we still have a lot to talk about since then.

Each situation is different, each patient is functional at different levels, diets are restricted, naps are important, medication schedules are involved. I would never expect a cruise line to accept any role in this anymore than a hotel would. But it would not stop me from planning another trip, since Aunt is now 93 and still going strong. It would not stop me, but has slowed me down a great deal.