Travel and holidays - useful addresses, specialist holidays, useful publications

Information for people with dementia who are considering travelling alone and for carers of people with dementia.

It covers practical information about how to cope with travelling if you have dementia, and what to consider if you are a carer.

Useful addresses

Care Commission

Compass House
11 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NY
Tel: 01382 207100
Website: www.carecommission.com

Counsel and Care

Counsel and Care is a charity for older people focussing on community care issues. Can offer advice and help on social services responsibilities such as home care, and on paying for care. They can also advise carers on finding a charity to help towards the cost of care for the person with dementia at home while they are on holiday.

Counsel and Care
Twyman House
16 Bonny Street
London NW1 9PG
Advice Line: 0845 300 7585 (Mon-Fri 10-4 Except Wed 10-1) This line is often busy but keep trying.
Fax: 020 7267 6877
Admin line: 020 7241 8555
Email: advice@counselandcare.org.uk
Website: www.counselandcare.org.uk

Crossroads (Scotland)

Crossroads (Scotland) is the national organisation established in 1978 to develop local services for carers throughout Scotland. There are now 46 local schemes providing over 1 million hours of care and short breaks for Scotland's carers.

Crossroads (Scotland) - Caring for Carers
24 George Square
Glasgow
  G2 1EG
Tel: 0141 226 3793
Website: www.crossroads-scotland.co.uk

Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)

DPTAC is an independent body which advises the UK Government on the transport needs of all disabled people. It maintains and updates a website Door-to-Door originally compiled by charity Tripscope which ceased to exist in March 2006. The website was developed to give disabled people information about transport and advice about travelling using all forms of transport.

Website: www.dptac.gov.uk/door-to-door

National Benevolent Fund for the Aged

32 Buckingham Palace Road
London
SW1W 0RE
Tel: 020 7828 0200
Fax: 020 7828 0400
Website: www.nbfa.org.uk

Shared Care Scotland

  Shared Care Scotland promotes and supports the development of flexible, imaginative and person centred short breaks (respite care) throughout Scotland.  These include:

• holiday respite breaks – available within guest houses / hotels
• themed respite breaks – may include, for example, art classes, cooking courses 
• activity respite breaks – the chance to take part in outdoor pursuits and sports eg fishing, sailing, climbing, horse riding 
• family placement respite – breaks where respite is offered within another family home

• respite leisure breaks – the chance to go on day trips/outings eg. boat trips, visits to places of interest. 

Their Online Short Break Information Service (OSBIS) is designed to provide easy access to information on all forms of short break and respite care services including:

• home and residential based breaks
• family placements
• befriending projects
• activity clubs
• holiday breaks
• specialized guest houses and hotels

Website: www.carebreaksscotland.org

Shared Care Scotland OSBIS Information Service

As well as the online database, Shared Care Scotland also provides a telephone enquiry service for those without access to the internet, and for those who can't find what they're looking for.

Shared Care Scotland
Unit 7 Dunfermline Business Centre
Izatt Avenue
Dunfermline KY11 3BX
Tel: 01383 622462
Fax: 01383 622813
Email: office@sharedcarescotland.com
Website: www.sharedcarescotland.com

Tourism for All UK

Tourism for All UK is a national registered charity which provides information to people with disabilities and older people in relation to accessible accommodation and other tourism services. They publish information on accessibility in London and many other cities in the UK.

Tourism for All, c/o Vitalise
Shap Road Industrial Estate
Shap Road
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 6NZ
Tel: 0845 124 9971
Email: info@tourismforall.org.uk
Website: www.tourismforall.org.uk

Specialist holidays

Alzheimer Scotland, Edinburgh Branch

Runs holidays at Strathyre for people with dementia and their carers.  You must be a member of Alzheimer Scotland and the person with dementia must be accompanied by a carer.

Alzheimer Scotland, Edinburgh Branch
139 St Leonard's Street
Edinburgh EH8 9RB
Tel: 0131 667 6289 (10am - 12 noon Monday - Friday)

Can Be Done Holidays

Can Be Done Holidays specialise in wheelchair accessible destinations. Can Be Done likes to discuss your requirements directly with you and learn about any special needs - such as a wheel-in shower or specially-adapted transfer vehicles.

Tel: 020 8907 2400
Email holidays@canbedone.co.uk
Website: www.canbedone.co.uk

Holidays for All

Holidays for All is an umbrella group of the UK's leading disability organisations working together to promote quality, accessible holiday breaks providing improved choice and flexibility for holiday makers.  Members include Accessible Travel and Leisure, Access Travel, Action for Blind People, The Calvert Trust, Chalfort Line, Forresters, Holidays with Help, Jubilee Sailing Trust, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Livability Holidays, Option Holidays and Vitalise.

Website: www.holidaysforall.org.uk

Vitalise

Vitalise (formerly Winged Fellowship Trust) is a national charity providing essential breaks for disabled people and their carers. Vitalise also runs holidays for visually impaired people. They aim to offer choice through their enabling environment and inspirational opportunities for volunteers.

There are five accessible Vitalise Centres in the UK - in Nottingham, Southport, Southampton, Chigwell in Essex, and Lanlivery in Cornwall - with restaurants, bars and leisure facilities such as swimming pools and gardens.

Vitalise also run an extensive programme of short breaks with 24-hour personal care-on-call in a supportive environment. Trained staff and volunteers help to make guests experiences both enjoyable and memorable, whether they choose to just relax and unwind, or join in with activities.

The essence of a Vitalise break is freedom and choice, and they aim to provide a break to suit individual needs wherever possible. With over 35 different Theme Weeks run at Vitalise Centres each year, people have the opportunity to try different things and make new friends, whilst carers also have a break so that the quality of life is improved for everyone. 

Vitalise Holidays
Shap Road Industrial Estate
Shap Road
Kendal
Cumbria
LA9 6NZ
Tel: 0845 330 0149
Website: www.vitalise.org.uk

Publications

Holidays in Britain & Ireland 2009: a guide for disabled people – published by Radar (price £14.50)

A directory of holiday accommodation in the UK catering for people with physical disabilities. The current edition includes detailed information on around 1500 places to stay in all parts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. These include hotels, guest houses, self-catering cottages and flats, holiday parks, activity centres, camp sites and centres where specialist service and care are provided.

The guide also gives information on advice services, voluntary and commercial organisations and transport. The guide aims to give information that will be useful to people with as wide a range of disabilities as possible.

Choosing your holiday accommodation will be made easier by individual listings stating, amongst other details, the size of entrance doors, ground floor bedrooms, lifts, whether there are specially designed bathroom facilities, and if waterproof or feather-free bedding is available.

Published by RADAR
12 City Forum
250 City Road
London
EC1V 8AF
Tel: 020 7250 3222
Fax: 020 7250 0212
Minicom: 020 7250 4119
Email: radar@radar.org.uk
Website: www.radar.org.uk

RADAR also publish a free fact sheet on holidays for elderly people, some of which are suitable for people with dementia.

24 hour Dementia Helpline
Freephone 0808 808 3000