Jan Dougherty, author of “Travel Well with Dementia,” has a list of tips for navigating airports when traveling with someone with dementia.
Tips for Navigating Airports:
- Alert the airline to special needs.
- Sign up for TSA Cares assistance with security screening
- Arrive at least two hours early to allow time to navigate the airport.
- Use porter service for help with luggage, if available.
- Request wheelchair assistance and an escort from the airline.
- Carry a “companion card,” used by a caregiver to explain the traveler has dementia.
- Avoid being separated from your travel companion at any point.
- Use family bathrooms when possible.
- Find a quiet place to wait for the flight.
- Confirm at the gate you need early boarding.
- Use the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program—wearing a sunflower signals a need for greater understanding.