Anyone travelling outside the UK needs a valid passport or ID. Even for flights within the UK, most airlines require a passport or an identity document that includes a photograph. We don't want staff toonly rely on looking for lanyards.People with hidden disabilities who aren't participating in the scheme - either because they are not aware of it, or do not want to wear one - mightbe affected by this.

Police were called to St Basil’s on the night of Halloween 2020, after Rachel Grahame took some papers and an electronic tablet from a nursing station, documents show.

Real life experiences

Sunflower lanyards are available to collect from both our hospitals. You do not have to meet certain criteria to access a lanyard and we do not exclude people who have yet to be diagnosed. Royal Brompton Hospital Candice Kirkwood, of Indianapolis, experienced what she said was her worst nightmare in 2001 when her parents were flying through the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Her mother, Marjorie “Margie” Dabney was wearing a badge to signal she needed extra help because she had Alzheimer's, and the couple was being helped by an airline attendant. A customer from Sainsbury’s, who is partially sighted and has early-onset dementia, commented on the mum’s post: “I did feel a bit stupid having to put on the lanyard and I told my husband I didn’t want to wear it, but he encouraged me to. Andrea Nissen is trying to prepare her 65-year-old husband, who has Alzheimer’s disease, for a solo flight from Arizona to Oklahoma to visit family. She worries about travelers and airport officials misinterpreting his forgetfulness or habit of getting in people's personal space, and feels guilty about not being able to accompany him.

Flying off on holiday from your local airport should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience for everyone but air travel can be daunting or frightening for many people affected by dementia because people with dementia might find a new environment like an airport confusing, or may become worried if something doesn’t go as planned. Similarly, more than 6 million people nationwide have Alzheimer’s disease, which is expected to hit 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Overall, 55 million worldwide are currently living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Southampton have signed up to be a Dementia Friend and are following their 3 dementia-friendly actions. These includes: The sunflower lanyard doesn’t tell anyone which disabilities someone has. It also doesn’t tell them exactly how they can help, just that they might need extra help. For example, someone with Autism might need the lights turned down, or to be somewhere quiet. Someone with arthritis might need support with additional support with moving or opening things. How does the sunflower lanyard work?

All staff in customr facing roles have been trained in awareness and as well as the lanyard scheme they operate, they also issue discreet hidden disability cards 🌻 I don’t know what their constraints are in terms of economics. I know what the impact is and the impact is that there’s less for people who need quiet spaces,” said Barsel, who is based in Roseville, Minnesota. If you’re wearing a lanyard, staff can offer you help but won’t know what your individual disability and needs are. Just let them know what they can do. If businesses are using the lanyards, weencourage themto become Dementia Friends. Our Dementia Friends initiative helps individuals and organisations to learn more about dementia and take action to support those affected by dementia in their community.

It just showed me that the police have learned nothing from the actions that we took against them,” Grahame told the Guardian. It is the atmosphere of rush that creates anxiety, being asked questions and feeling unable to get the answer out. We only travel through local airports now as the large ones are just too stressful.” Top tips for travelling with dementia Write a list of everything you are taking with you in your luggage, and everything the person with dementia is taking with them. If you need to find items, the list can be a helpful reminder of who has what.If a person with dementia wants a discreet way to let others know about their diagnosis while out and about, we have free helpcards available. Your sunflower lanyard is yours to keep and you are most welcome to wear it every time you are in our care. How to get a sunflower lanyard

I've used it a couple of times when I've talked to Dad through it and guided him home when he's got lost. A hidden disability may be difficult for others to recognise or understand but can make daily life more challenging for those who have one. A hidden disability can include: Many of the survey responses mentioned the need for Dementia Friends at airports so we asked Roshni Jaura from Vida to explain who Dementia Friends are and why they would be a beneficial service for airports to offer. Wristbands, lanyards, pin badges are available for those with hidden disabilites, and you can collect them from the PRM desk. 🌻

Why do people wear a forget-me-not pin badge?

We initially thought that the travel market for people with dementia and their companions was almost non-existent and as we expected, 93% of those we surveyed knew nothing about travel options available to those with dementia and unsurprisingly , 97% of respondents felt that those with dementia are too put off by possible complications to want to travel abroad. Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast City and Bristol had all stated in 2016 that either representatives from the airport or small selections of staff had attended Dementia Friends talks or focus groups with charities to establish what they need to implement to better their services. Today, they’ve all implemented a lanyard scheme, with Glasgow becoming the first UK airport to host a virtual dementia tour to help staff and other passengers understand the struggles. They’re also working with Alzheimer Scotland to raise awareness for Dementia.