Anyone RV Camping?
Here’s the thing. Right now DH with ALZ has short term memory loss and needs detailed instructions to do tasks. But he actually is functioning pretty well. We love camping and I have been trying to decide if we should just go for it and see how it goes. We desperately need to put fun into our lives while we still can. I realize it will be more like solo camping with a side kick for me. I have no illusions who will do most of the work (alone).
But I would like to know if any of you are still venturing out to camp in spite of ALZ coming along with you.
Comments
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I don't have experience specific to RV, but here are might thoughts. The things that DW enjoyed the most and has been doing the longest continued to work into the late stages. We traveled quite a bit in the later stages until I had an experience that told me it was time to stop leisure travel. There were lots of low points and new challenges with travel, but for us, it was still better than not traveling. Your experience will not be like it used to be, but I expect it will still be worthwhile. If it is an activity he is used to and something you have been doing a long time, then I would continue to do it until you have an experience that convinces you it is time to stop.
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Don’t have any advice, but it struck me funny that I would SO take a night or two or three even on the bare ground with no tent at this point!!!! I do think with your great attitude it would be worth a shot. I hope you can go.
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my husband and I lived in our RV full time when he was diagnosed. I decided to sell it because I was 72 years old and not able to do everything myself. Had I been younger I may have tried. I would worry about keeping him safe. Will he wander? You will have to have him next to you at all times due to safety issues. I think I would still try it. A short trip nearby in case you feel you need to cut it short. In 20 years of RV travel, we put over 200,000 miles on our 2 RV’s. Such great memories. 💜
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I hope you can go. Personally…….I love camping w/ my husband who has Alzheimers. I find it is still an activity that he enjoys . I just had to learn to go SLOWER and realize that he still wants to be helpful and give him simpler tasks ( like putting out the rugs on the ground) while I handle the rest. He still plugs in the RV. It gives us a change of scenery and we are making memories together while we can :)
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I hope you go and it works out for you. I tried with my DH and he did not enjoy it. He didn’t do well with any changes in routine so he was most comfortable at home. Also he often didn’t know he needed to use the bathroom until the last minute. I specifically bought a trailer with a bathroom but he refused to use it. Trying to get him to the communal bathrooms was difficult.
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Welcome! We are full-time RVers and have been since 2015.
My SO has short term memory loss since 2023 and I have watched the increase this summer. We workamp in the summer and relax in the winter….chasing 70 degree weather.
I would say "go for it".
This has been a learning curve for me for sure. I have the book Forget Me Not and I also watch a lot of YT videos.
Being a caretaker it is so important to take care of yourself FIRST in order to be there for your partner. I won't sugar coat it I have good days and sometimes not so good days. His memory seems to come and go and is worse when he is tired. He still works and still drives. We no longer do long days of travel, just maybe 2-3 hours that works for both of us. We are both in our early 70's.
Bottom line it is a LONG road and it is not going to get any better than you have it now so live your lives to the fullest.
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I believe you should make memories as long as you can. We RVd for 25 yrs and I cherish those memories. DH has had several strokes, VD and now has mobility issues. Our last big trip was a year ago up the Oregon Coast. It was difficult as he doesn't drive anymore, struggles with fine and gross motor, uses a walker, has slow processing and defecits with executive function. We went any way hoping for one more adventure. I did everything, which I knew would be the case. I did get to walk on the beach with the wind in my hair albeit alone. Hubby could only sit in a camp chair and watch. If your SO is still ambulatory and doesn't wander, I think you should go and make happy memories while you can. I doubt you will regret it. We tried a couple of trips closer to home this year but his muscular strength is deteriorating so I think we will try RV staycations with the RV parked in the yard from now on. We can play " let's pretend" and make memories while we can.
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We have been avid rv'rs for years and are still traveling. We are in fact nearing the end of a two month trip now.
My DW actually seems to be happier when we are traveling and I plan to continue as long as we are able.
You are correct that you will do most if not all of the work and it can be overwhelming.My biggest concern has always been " what if something happened to me while we are away?".
I always make sure somebody knows where we are how long we will be there and what our next destination is. I also make daily contact with our son and daughter .
Plan well, be safe, have fun.
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Thank you all for sharing your experiences. It helps immensely!
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We also traveled by motor homes, class B&C, but not as long as you. We stopped because of DW advancing Alzheimer's and my age, not 76. As much as we would like to try, I am concerned about vehicle problems. I remember some of them all too well and could not handle that any more.
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My wife just got diagnosed with the blood test. We had just finished a two month, 10,000 mile trip in our Class B on a big circle from the west coast. She didn’t want to take the trip initially, but once we were on the road she was quite happy and we both enjoyed the trip immensely. Since we were together 24/7, I didn’t have to worry about her heading off of her own. In some ways it was easier than being home, because she have any desire to do anything on her own. We are in our mid-seventies, so I don’t know how much longer we’ll RV. I’d like to do it as long as possible.
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Commonly Used Abbreviations
DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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