Tools for Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Airport

Tools for Becoming a Dementia-Friendly Airport

NOTE: This is a collection of resources for direct use, replication and modification, and/or instruction by and for dementia friendly airport advocates. Some of this material is copyright or restricted in use, other material is available for use or modification.

About Dementia-Friendly Airports

What is a Dementia-Friendly Airport?
Working definition created by the Dementia-Friendly Airports Working Group.
Open to All: Improving Air Travel for Passengers Who Require Support
Heathrow Airport research report commissioned to fill the organizational knowledge gap and support Heathrow Airport to develop and improve their accessibility strategy.
Dementia-Friendly Airport Sector Guide
General guide to dementia-friendly airports - What are they? Ways to interact with your local airport to help it become dementia-friendly.

Tools for Travelers with Hidden Disabilities and/or Dementia

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is an international symbol used by people to discretely indicate that they have an invisible disability and may need additional support, help, or simply more time. Participating airports and business sectors make these Sunflower lanyards freely available upon request.
Airports Recognizing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
Resources for Travel
Guide for travelers living with dementia and their care partners/travel companions prepared by the Dementia-Friendly Airports Working group.
DOT Disability Hotline: This toll-free telephone hotline system provides general information about the rights of air travelers with disabilities, responds to requests for information, and assists air travelers with time-sensitive disability-related issues. Members of the public may call 1- 800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time, seven days a week to receive assistance regarding air travel by individuals with disabilities.
Travel Well With Dementia: Essential Tips to Enjoy the Journey (book)
By DFAWG member Jan Dougherty
The Ultimate Guide to Air Travel With a Disability
Traveling with a Disability - U.S. Department of Transportation
Information on wheelchairs and other assistive devices, assistance moving throughout the airport, seating accommodations, service animals, what to do if you encounter a problem while traveling, and travel tips for persons with disabilities.
Dementia-Friendly Air Travel – What You Need to Know (youtube.com)
Actions YOU can take to improve your air travel experience
DFAWG History and accomplishments
Sara Barsel, Ph.D., DFAWG founder and organizer
Travel Well with Dementia: Navigating Air Travel with Success
Jan Dougherty, MS, RN, FAAN
[email protected]
Memory Minders: Travel Kit
Memory Minders: Travel Kit contains detailed caregiver checklists and suggestions for safe local and long distance travel with a person living with dementia, prepared by the Roseville Alzheimer’s & Dementia Community Action Team. Airports and advocates have permission to adapt these tools to their unique needs.
Memory Minders: Travel Kit - Air Travel
Memory Minders: Travel Kit – Air Travel addendum contains detailed resources to assist people living with dementia and their care partners/travel companions prepare for and engage in air travel. Topics include: ways dementia symptoms may manifest at the airport, short videos by Teepa Snow demonstrating positive ways to address dementia-related behaviors in the airport, details about the flight process, tools and tips for travel, details for TSA security screening, and more.
Flying With Dementia: An Informative Guide
This guide is the result of a collaboration between Heathrow Airport, Members of the Prime Ministers Dementia Challenge Group for Air Transport and research from the University of Plymouth.
MSP Airport Opens the Travel Confidently MSP Education Center
Airport rehearsal trips
Opportunities for people with early stage dementia (or other hidden disabilities) and their care partners/travel companions to visit the airport before travel for information and practice navigating the airport. Workshops include representatives from the airport, airlines, TSA, and a local dementia travel advocacy group to share information and tips while answering questions from family members of those with dementia and care providers. Volunteers lead tours through the airport to assist potential travelers in navigating the airport, including identifying TSA security lines, accessible bathrooms, quiet spaces, a mock airplane cabin, etc.
Model programs:
DFAWG member Jan Dougherty organized “Dementia Friendly Air Travel”, a 2-hour workshop at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Dementia Friendly Air Travel Workshop flyer

Training Materials for Airport Staff: Hidden Disabilities, Dementia-Friendly

How Dementia Symptoms Manifest at the Airport
© Jan Dougherty, MS, RN, FAAN, TravALZ, LLC, www.trav-alz.com
Training Videos - DFAWG and Teepa Snow
The scenarios portrayed in the clips are situations that are commonly encountered in an airport when travelers are living with dementia and other forms of brain change. We hope you will use the video clips to inform your airport staff, including airline employees, volunteers, retail, contractors, security, etc., of effective responses to help improve experiences for both customers and staff.
TSA Guidance for Security Screening Passengers with Dementia
- Screening Passengers with Dementia (Part 1)
  - National Shift Brief Week of October 11-16, 2020
- Screening Passengers with Dementia (Part 2)
  In the Words of an Individual Living with Dementia
  - National Shift Brief Week of October 18-23, 2020
Sunflower Lanyard Information Sheet for Airport Staff
Traveling with a Disability - U.S. Department of Transportation
DOT has developed a series of disability-related training materials for airline personnel.
- Lead The Way! A video introducing a proactive approach for assisting individuals with disabilities throughout the airport.
- Wheelchair and Guided Assistance Tips. A wheelchair and guided assistance tip sheet and digital content that explain how to properly assist individuals who need wheelchair and guided assistance at airports.
- Assistive Device Stowage, Damage, and Delay Interactive Guide. A helpful interactive guide designed to supplement airline disability-related trainings by describing various assistive devices and how to properly handle, stow, load, and return them to passengers.
- Seating Accommodation Interactive Guide. A helpful interactive guide designed to supplement airline disability-related trainings by describing the types of seating accommodation methods used by airlines, seating accommodation eligibility, and the types of seating accommodations available on aircraft.
Training Materials for Delivering Dementia-Friendly Customer Service
1. Delivering Dementia-Friendly Customer Service (e-learning)
2. Dementia Basics for Air Travel Industry Workers (in-person)
3. Airport Scenarios - Teepa Snow / DFAWG Collaboration (training videos)
Dementia Friends Information Session Part 1
Dementia Friends Information Session Part 2
This is a Dementia Friends training modified for airport volunteers and staff. This PowerPoint is provided by Dementia Friends Arizona. It can be modified for any airport. Dementia Friends Arizona should be credited with original authorship.
Dementia Friends Information Session Handout
This is a Dementia Friends Information Session brochure for airport volunteers and staff. This brochure is provided by Dementia Friends Arizona. It can be modified for any airport. Dementia Friends Arizona should be credited with original authorship.
Dementia Friends Information Session Handout (.pub format)
This is a Dementia Friends Information Session brochure for airport volunteers and staff in .pub format. This brochure is provided by Dementia Friends Arizona. It can be modified for any airport. Dementia Friends Arizona should be credited with original authorship.
Dementia Friends Champions Guide
A Dementia Friends Champion participates in an in-person Champions training. The Champion then facilitates a Dementia Friends Information Session for friends, family, colleagues and the wider community using the Champion’s Guide, Dementia Friends Information Session Workbook and supporting materials. The goal of the Dementia Friends Information Session is to help community members understand dementia and the small things they can do to make a difference for people living with dementia.
Ensuring a Smooth Journey: A Guide through the Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal for People Living with Dementia and their Travel Companions
This is a copyright guide with restrictions on its use. The project was funded by the Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, Queensland University of Technology as part of an Australian Government initiative.
What Airline Employees, Airline Contractors, and Air Travelers with Disabilities Need to Know About Access to Air Travel for Persons with Disabilities
TSA’s Section 504 Component Plan for Nondiscrimination of Individuals with Disabilities

Training Materials: General insights into interacting with people living with dementia

Insights from Arthur’s
Deb Nygaard, Director of Development at Arthur’s Residential Care, narrates short 1-3 minute videos that give some insightful tips on how you can interact more successfully with your loved ones who have dementia or Alzheimer’s.
29 short videos provide information and resolutions for particular dementia behaviors.
Occupational Therapy and Dementia: Promoting Rights and Opportunities for People Living With Dementia (book)
A combined emphasis on human rights and occupational justice for people living with dementia offers both a theoretical and practical frame to develop your occupational therapy practice. **See chapter coauthored by DFAWG member Maria O’Reilly about accessing air travel for people living with dementia.**
Teepa Snow - Positive Approach to Care®
Teepa Snow and her Positive Approach to Care® Team share about dementia so that everyone can understand why this is happening and how to support those living with brain change in a more positive and respectful way. Teepa provides training for professional and family dementia care with in-person and virtual training sessions. Many free videos and resources are available on her website.

Airport Design: Environmental Audits

Airport Design: Wayfinding & Signage
Enhancing Airport Wayfinding for Aging Travelers and Persons with Disabilities
TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 177: Enhancing Airport Wayfinding for Aging Travelers and Persons with Disabilities provides guidance to assist aging travelers and persons with disabilities to travel independently within airports using pedestrian wayfinding systems. The guidebook addresses travel by people with cognitive, sensory, and other mobility challenges.

The Wayfinding Accessibility Audit Checklist documents issues that should be considered in a baseline airport wayfinding accessibility audit; it is provided in Word format so that users can check items off the list. The research team collected ratings of airport wayfinding applications from users of those applications on the Application Review Criteria testing and comment form. A PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of the ACRP research produced as a part of this report.

Project: Project Information
DOI: 10.17226/24930
Project Number: 07-13

This Summary Last Modified On: 7/8/2019

Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside
TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 52: Wayfinding and Signing Guidelines for Airport Terminals and Landside is designed to provide airports with the tools necessary to help passengers find their way in and around the airport.

The guidelines focus on four areas of the airport: (1) roadways—both on-airport, and off-airport access roads; (2) parking; (3) curbside and ground transportation; and (4) terminal.

In addition, the guidelines discuss developing a wayfinding strategy; the use of technology and visual displays; and color, fonts, and sizes.

View the Impact on Practice for this report.
Project: Project Information
DOI: 10.17226/13640
Project Number: 07-06

This Summary Last Modified On: 12/21/2016