Julie on behalf of YODA reflects on the pleasures and challenges of holidaying with dementia.

Hello, this is Julie from YODA. Last month we had our first group mini break together to a shared house on the beautiful island of Anglesey. We had looked forward to the event for some time. And for people living with dementia and their care partners arranging holidays that are both suitable and affordable can be problematic. Between the ten of us we each faced different challenges and had both positive and negative experiences of our time there. The extended time we spent together  provided some very special bonding moments however, it would be unrealistic to imagine that living in a strange environment with different difficulties  and more people around us generally did not create problems for those with a diagnosis and their care partners. Although I am only in the early stages, I am used to living alone and able to please myself even if my routine may seem chaotic to others, it just works for me. One night I was having trouble sleeping which is usual to me and my usual way with dealing with that would be to get up and get myself a hot drink. I was sharing a room with my friend and didn’t want to wake her. I shuffled through to the kitchen where everything was neatly stored away. Each cupboard was identical , matched fronts and appeared to me as a bank of pine panels. I couldn’t work out where the mugs, coffee and milk were and struggled to use the kettle. I gave up and draped myself into a sobbing heap over the table and then I was sure I was composed to sneak back into the bedroom without waking my friend. It was brought home to us how much of a daily struggle life has become to a couple of our members how much demand has increased on their partners. For one man and his wife she had to admit that this was probably their last break together and I’m glad we went but it does focus on the  realities of each other’s lives by our weekly group meetings. Even on holiday, we take our dementia with us.