Traveling with An Elderly Relative: Top Tips
There are many reasons why you may need to travel with elderly parents; however, the entire experience can be stressful if you have never done it before. When people reach a certain age, they have special needs that take a great deal of time and attention from you and require a lot more planning in place to ensure that they are going to be safe and well when out of the country.
In this blog, we’re going to look at some key pieces of information you’ll need to take on board when traveling with an elderly relative in the near future.
1. Choose your destination wisely
If you’re planning on traveling with an elderly relative, you may want to think about the type of destination that is most suitable and the type of trip you want to do. Cruises and tours are often designed for older guests as there is a specific schedule to stick to and other people in attendance whenever help and assistance are needed, which makes the entire trip less stressful. Depending on their mobility level, the type of destination you choose should be relatively flat so that there is less risk of trips and falls.
2. Ensure their needs are met
Elderly people need a great deal of attention, especially if they have specific medical needs. While traveling, it’s unlikely you’ll have professional carers with you, so you need to be aware of how to take care of your parents yourself. Some of the most common aspects to take into consideration include ensuring they’re getting the right nutrition, the right amount of exercise, as well as being able to monitor their medication. If you need any further help and advice, you can refer to this caring for aging parents checklist.
3. Ensure they get a check-up before traveling
While your elderly relative may feel in good health, it would always be worth booking an appointment with their GP before traveling to ensure there are no underlying health conditions. This would also be a good time to get the relevant vaccines in relation to the destination they are traveling to, or even the flu vaccine, for example.
It would also be a good idea to print off any medical documents with information on pre-existing health conditions and medications which can be passed over to medical professionals and easily understood if there happened to be an emergency.
4. Travel in the fall
The arrival of fall is the perfect time to take elderly relatives abroad. This is usually the season where the tourists have left, children have gone back to school, and the temperature is relatively cooler and much more tolerable. The elderly, therefore, get the chance to explore without having to battle through crowds and soaring temperatures, which could heighten their stress levels and even impact their health. Not only that, but you may find that seniors can also travel at a reduced rate during these months, which is another benefit to take into consideration.
Good article to have, even if I AM THE ELDERLY RELATIVELY. I’ll be sharing, thanks!
Traveling with an elderly person can be a real challenge, but a lot can be avoided with just a little planning.
I travel multiple times a year with my 78 year old Mom. I would add that making sure the hotel has an elevator even if it’s two stories. I missed that last year and we had to haul our stuff up a flight of stairs after a long day.
I have travelled in the past with my parents and I always suggest travel insurance.
The hubs and I (we are both approaching 60) always drag our son along when we travel (especially overseas)!
Any time of year is fine for traveling with seniors, as long as crowded places are avoided.
That elderly traveler is ME! I want to go traveling. Who knows when that will be.