My mom is in a nursing home near where she lives. Her husband/my father died suddenly 2 weeks ago. My husband and I want to move her to a nursing home closer to us (she's in PA now, we want to move her to Georgia). She can't walk but she uses a wheelchair. She does get carsick but I'm hoping the doc can give her some medication for that. We want to make the trip in one 10-12 hour drive but neither my husband nor myself can do that long a drive in one day.
If you need free advice we are here to help you. Hope this is helpful information.
I would give yourselves more time to do a trip that long. You also want to be aware of the potential of your mom developing pressure sores and blood clots from sitting too long. She needs to be able to shift her weight and do leg exercises while sitting in the car to help keep the blood circulating. It is also important to take frequent breaks (possibly every 2 or 3 hours) and make sure she is well hydrated. I would even seriously consider making it a two day trip and stop overnight somewhere at a hotel which has good handicap rooms.
We rented a get away handicap assessible mini van which had room up front to put the wheelchair on the passenger side because we could not get my mom in and out of the car anymore. She also had a reclining wheelchair which helped some, too.
You also need to know that transporting someone is very taxing on you. It is emotionally and physically draining. So definitely take care of yourself too. I wish you, your mom, and your husband the best.
Moving dementia patients out of a familiar environment invariably leads to decline.
Why ever would your mil want to move her mother BACK HOME? Has she got three shifts of caregivers lined up? Has grandma got the funds to do that.?
If this is a question of distance, better to get a geriatric care manager involved where grandma is to handle emergencies. The time to move grandma was when she was first diagnosed.
Why does your Mom-in-law want to move her Mom back home? And like Babalou above had written, does she have at several shifts of professional caregivers lined up to help? Is her house set up like a nursing home? If not, and Mom isn't mobile, can Mom-in-law carry her from bed to bathroom, etc? With Alzheimer's there are different stages. Mom-in-law might find herself trying to live on 2 or 3 hours a sleep per day. I hope there is a really really good reason to make this move.
See All Answers