Giving a ride to an Alzheimers patient

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I'm currently a student pilot getting closer to my checkride. One hope I'd had when I started taking lessons was to give my father a ride in an airplane.

He is currently in a nursing home suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Really sucks, I'm always going in and having the same 2 minute conversation with him for an hour. He doesn't track conversations well and can't remember what you just said/did 5 minutes ago. Hard to really cheer him up or make him happy but he always perks up when I start talking about airplanes. He flew before I was born, blacked out one day(on the ground) from a hypoglycemic attack and gave it up/sold the plane. I know he really missed it though, he no longer remembers why he doesn't have his plane anymore and asks about it.

Anyway I think he would enjoy a flight and I know he won't have many years left... his mind maybe less unfortunately. I think it would mean a lot to him to go up... he'd forget but I could get a couple of pictures for him. It would be a good memory for me to keep as well.

Couple worries- one is more straightforward. He's in a wheelchair, he can kind of get up and stumble around for a short distance. The aircraft I have access to is a low wing pa-28. So... clearly we have some logistical problems here. I would think if we could get him to sit down on the wing maybe with some help he could kinda scoot up to the door and in. I'd probably need some assistance for that from someone.

Second is just his condition and how he will react. I really think he'll be fine. Some people who I've talked to about this have worried he might do something unpredictable- mess with the controls maybe. I doubt this just from the time I've spent with him and watched him. I was thinking of maybe moving the seat position as far back as it goes so he doesn't have much opportunity to do something like that just in case though. There's also the worry he may just be frightened/confused and worried about what's happening to him. Again, from time I've spent with him and knowing his personality and just my gut feeling I don't think this will be a problem.

I guess I'm just asking for a sanity check... does this sound like a totally reasonable and ok thing to try to do?
 
I'm sorry about your Dad. My mother had Alzheimer's, and it really does suck.

I would worry about him getting confused and scared in the airplane. The last time I took my mother for a car ride she got really scared about where she was and where she was going. Unlike the car ride, which was only 20 minutes, in the plane you can't just pull over.

I'm sorry, really sorry, about being negative about this.

Have you asked his doctors about doing this flight? Is he taking any medications to "calm" him or relax him?

Again, I'm sorry about your Dad.
 
also have family on that situation. From what you've described you're already too late. He isn't going to get anything out of it and there is a good chance of it going very badly. Don't confuse your own desire to create memories with him for yourself, with something that benefits him in any way.
 
Now on to the not so fun stuff [as if anything with dementia is fun]

I would very strongly recommend that you bring someone along who can control him in the event he becomes disoriented and combative. You cannot do this alone and be PIC safely. You might have a great flight - you might be at the other end of the spectrum when he becomes combative and disoriented - you are not going to be able to fly the airplane and deal with a hostile male in the right seat.

Next - consider two people in the back - the person who is his minder and your dad. The front seat may not be the best place for him.

Third - pick a day with smooth air low winds and your dad having a good day. It may take awhile - do not compromise on ANY of these criteria.

Fourth, if he sits in the back seat, make sure you bring 2mg of Lorazepam or similar fast acting tranq. Sorry - but you need to be prepared.

We are not talking about a physical ailment but a mental one. It plays into question self- control on a minute by minute basis almost.

If Dad sits in the front seat, then whomever is the minder needs to be both behind him and strong enough to restrain him - keeping in mind that his legs will be free.

You can coordinate all of this and make it absolutely seamless for him - if he behaves and a great time then he won't know anything about the effort you made behind the scenes to make sure he had a pleasant time. Flying is a stimulating event - it is good for those with dementia since it triggers memories not often triggered - and helps open those pathways. It can also be terrifying if they don't where they are, why they are suspended in the air and are confused about aircraft and who the pilot is. . . .

Get a HIPAA release - chat with his immediate day to day doc - maybe he'll Rx an injectable tranq or tell you to give him 0.5mg before the flight - and plan plan plan. then fly the plan.
 
what is the purpose of this flight again? To evacuate him from a forest fire?

comanchepilot said:
Now on to the not so fun stuff [as if anything with dementia is fun]

I would very strongly recommend that you bring someone along who can control him in the event he becomes disoriented and combative. You cannot do this alone and be PIC safely. You might have a great flight - you might be at the other end of the spectrum when he becomes combative and disoriented - you are not going to be able to fly the airplane and deal with a hostile male in the right seat.

Next - consider two people in the back - the person who is his minder and your dad. The front seat may not be the best place for him.

Third - pick a day with smooth air low winds and your dad having a good day. It may take awhile - do not compromise on ANY of these criteria.

Fourth, if he sits in the back seat, make sure you bring 2mg of Lorazepam or similar fast acting tranq. Sorry - but you need to be prepared.

We are not talking about a physical ailment but a mental one. It plays into question self- control on a minute by minute basis almost.

If Dad sits in the front seat, then whomever is the minder needs to be both behind him and strong enough to restrain him - keeping in mind that his legs will be free.

You can coordinate all of this and make it absolutely seamless for him - if he behaves and a great time then he won't know anything about the effort you made behind the scenes to make sure he had a pleasant time. Flying is a stimulating event - it is good for those with dementia since it triggers memories not often triggered - and helps open those pathways. It can also be terrifying if they don't where they are, why they are suspended in the air and are confused about aircraft and who the pilot is. . . .

Get a HIPAA release - chat with his immediate day to day doc - maybe he'll Rx an injectable tranq or tell you to give him 0.5mg before the flight - and plan plan plan. then fly the plan.
Click to expand...
 
A flight would be a huge cognitive stress and would not be possible without a large, muscular caretaker, and you dad NOT in a position to affect flight controls.

I would suggest that as son, you can't be objective here and consideration should just stop.
 
Perhaps instead of a real aircraft, would a decent Sim do? Such as the Redbird Full Motion?

And it might just be enough to do a field trip out to the airport and allow him to be around aircraft.

At the airshow in June, one of the last people to visit us and our Skylane was a family with a late 80's year old man wearing a WWI veteran ball cap and in a wheel chair. The family had observed I was letting kids sit in the left seat while I stood watch and talked with them and the parents.

When they approached, they asked if it would be okay if Grandpa could sit in the Skylane. I said sure, got the help of our CFI Ray and soon had him situated comfortably in the seat pulled up to flying position. We even turned on the radio over the speaker so he could hear some of the tower and ground activity.

He spent a few minutes touching the yoke and instruments, and then shared some stories of his flying days. His eyes were really bright and I could tell he was enjoying himself.

It was a really cool experience for us too.


So being off of the ground might not be necessary. Just being around or in an aircraft might be enough. Especially if you get a chance to tour a flight line filled with a variety of aircraft.
 
If I am reading your post correctly your dad is basically wheelchair bound, quite confused, and in a skilled nursing facility because he requires more care than you can provide him at home. He has advanced dementia. If this is the case, I think your idea is a bad idea, in fact on second thought it is a very, very bad idea. I can think of no good that can come out of this except for maybe helping you deal with some subconscious guilt, and lots of bad.

The risks are not worth it. Furthermore, I would suggest your dad will not get any pleasure out of the flight, as it may not even be comfortable for him. It may work out, but if it does not think of the consequences, not to mention the NTSB report, plane crashed because passenger who had dementia became uncontrollable and put the plane in a fatal spin.

Take your dad to the mall, to the park, or to the zoo. A outing outside for him in a different but familiar setting will do him a lot more good than a risky trip in a single engine airplane.

One other thought, call a national carrier, ask then if they would let him on their plane. My experience says they will probably say no.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Perhaps instead of a real aircraft, would a decent Sim do? Such as the Redbird Full Motion?

And it might just be enough to do a field trip out to the airport and allow him to be around aircraft.

At the airshow in June, one of the last people to visit us and our Skylane was a family with a late 80's year old man wearing a WWI veteran ball cap and in a wheel chair. The family had observed I was letting kids sit in the left seat while I stood watch and talked with them and the parents.

When they approached, they asked if it would be okay if Grandpa could sit in the Skylane. I said sure, got the help of our CFI Ray and soon had him situated comfortably in the seat pulled up to flying position. We even turned on the radio over the speaker so he could hear some of the tower and ground activity.

He spent a few minutes touching the yoke and instruments, and then shared some stories of his flying days. His eyes were really bright and I could tell he was enjoying himself.

It was a really cool experience for us too.


So being off of the ground might not be necessary. Just being around or in an aircraft might be enough. Especially if you get a chance to tour a flight line filled with a variety of aircraft.
Click to expand...
Not sure I can be certain from you post, but the difference seems to me that "grandpa" was not with advanced dementia, and in either case the plane was not flying. Not much harm he could do to the plane, though I am not certain I would let him in my plane...to much chance of him tripping while getting in and out of the plane and breaking a hip, or hitting his head and getting a subdural.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Perhaps instead of a real aircraft, would a decent Sim do? Such as the Redbird Full Motion?

And it might just be enough to do a field trip out to the airport and allow him to be around aircraft.

At the airshow in June, one of the last people to visit us and our Skylane was a family with a late 80's year old man wearing a WWI veteran ball cap and in a wheel chair. The family had observed I was letting kids sit in the left seat while I stood watch and talked with them and the parents.

When they approached, they asked if it would be okay if Grandpa could sit in the Skylane. I said sure, got the help of our CFI Ray and soon had him situated comfortably in the seat pulled up to flying position. We even turned on the radio over the speaker so he could hear some of the tower and ground activity.

He spent a few minutes touching the yoke and instruments, and then shared some stories of his flying days. His eyes were really bright and I could tell he was enjoying himself.

It was a really cool experience for us too.


So being off of the ground might not be necessary. Just being around or in an aircraft might be enough. Especially if you get a chance to tour a flight line filled with a variety of aircraft.
Click to expand...

That seems like a good idea... not the sim part, he was never too good with computers. But I could take him out and show him the airplane, maybe let him sit in the seat or something.
 
Plus being on the ground provides more opportunities for a good photograph or two of of you both around the airplane. Your father might enjoy having these as a momento of your outing.
 
Seems like there is a difference of opinion from Peoria . . .

Jeff - I'm all for the effort - but I think once one processes all that could easily happen - not the zebra stuff but the common stuff with confused people in airplanes - it can easily create a situation where control of the aircraft is lost.

I think Bruce cut to the chase - I just wanted to show the thought process that needs to happen to ensure a safe flight - and if restraint was necessary - then it is not going to be a good memory. For either of you.

Sitting the airplane may be enough . . .
 
Your post brings up the memories of my mother in law, sad. Has to be the worst disease in my opinion.
Listen to Dr B., I noticed with my situation that she became very disoriented in different rooms and combative. I know each situation is different but you being a new licensed pilot would have a risk meter way over your head.

Sorry about your dad, really.
 
Do NOT take an Alzheimers patient in a small airplane, especially if you aren't a seasoned Joe pilot, and even if you are. You can't really tell how they will react, and they won't remember the experience for long anyway.

My mother was (and is) suffering a non-Alzheimers dementia when I told her about my sister's (her eldest daughter's) death. I debated to myself whether to tell her, but felt she deserved her moment of grief, if she could actually internalize the information. She did, and she cried and cried and sobbed for about ten minutes. Then she went to sleep and woke up remembering nothing. I wish I could do that.

Since the hip replacement momma Steingar is mostly non-interactive.
 
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