Can a person with dementia travel overseas? Mum's son is in another country, her birth country. He is unable to travel here as he lives in a care facility. Mum still also has affairs that need taking care off over there. For instance, my other brother (who passed pre-covid), we put all his belongings in storage as we had to return at the time to Australia. I would like my mother to be able to see her son as she promised before the world locked down and that we could finish off what we started with the belongings. However, Mum has dementia and is very reliant on me. Is she actually allowed to travel with me? Last time she struggled with the declaration forms. She filled it ok on the plane while she had several hours to do so and with me translating. However she had crossed something out for a mistake and the customs had her fill out the whole form again in front of them. Once filling it out again under pressure, she really struggled! When I started translating again, I was told to shut up and not give answers for Mum. I know this would place her in a complete mess these days as any pressure, she shuts down and her writing skills have gone. As a past flight attendant I know I’ve had people with dementia on domestic flights (some even alone), with someone dropping and picking them up but I don’t know how international would go. I’m picturing some worse case scenario in an unfamiliar country and Mum being drilled at a checkpoint. Are POA’s recognised travelling? Does it give me authority to fill out mums travel documents and answer on her behalf at customs etc. Funny story my brother who is under government POA actually managed to hop on a plane and travel here alone back in 2007. He was meant to travel with someone else but they didn’t make it due to illness. So he proceeded and no questions were asked, lol. His an eternal teenagers in an adults body so knew where he was going and what he had to do. Sadly these days due to physical disability (being reliant on a wheelchair) he would be unable to do this again.
I’m thinking bad, bad idea…
It appears that it was hard enough last time:
" Last time she struggled with the declaration forms. She filled it ok on the plane while she had several hours to do so and with me translating. However she had crossed something out for a mistake and the customs had her fill out the whole form again in front of them. Once filling it out again under pressure, she really struggled! When I started translating again, I was told to shut up and not give answers for Mum. I know this would place her in a complete mess these days as any pressure, she shuts down and her writing skills have gone."
Some people can do this. Your Mom cannot, based upon what you said.
So sorry. it does not sound feasible or safe. They told you to shut up?