Things to Consider When Traveling with Seniors
It’s been quite a chilly winter in Northeast Ohio with the average low for January 2018 bottoming out at out at 21° Fahrenheit. When people are young they can get out and bundle up while baring the elements. Going into town can prove to be a rejuvenating winter experience. Simply sit in a coffee shop and warm up with a favorite brew. There you will sit and chat with the locals and take in a serving of a very important nutritional supplement called socialization.
Unfortunately, seniors who cannot bare the cold miss these opportunities and depression begins to set in. It’s not always the nippiness which is the challenge but rather the potential for slipping or falling. This fear is referred to as basophobia. When caregivers begin to assess the situation the one thing which comes to mind is, how do we get dad or mom out of the house. In the local environment of Cleveland Ohio, the weather is not going to budge until April. The single opportunity which is available would be to travel with a senior to a warmer climate.
How do I know if I can travel with an older adult?
The first task would be to consult the patients doctor and to see if they can be approved for air travel. Once you get clearance than you must do some serious thinking about if you’re up to the feat. Caregivers will need to understand that this vacation is not about them but rather about the senior.
What essentials must be present on this trip?
When you’re at the doctor’s office get a list of the medications that are taken which includes dosages and times. Also make sure you know which meds need to be taken with food and which cause drowsiness. It wouldn’t be clever to take out a parent to eat and when you finally get to the restaurant they are drowsing off because of the medication.
Make sure to get the foods which are part of the patient’s diet or at least have access to them by a nearby grocery store. Most seniors keep to the same breakfast and switch up the two later meals. You don’t want to find yourself dealing with a stubborn senior refusing to eat some frits causing them to miss the most essential meal of the day, breakfast.
Be sure to understand that this trip is not about you
This is the hardest element of the whole idea if taking parents away. Remember that your getting them out of the cold to improve their mood not yours (keep in mind you will be happy sipping your latte in Starbucks). Always think about that you need be thankful to them for your sole existence.
Should I book a hotel, villa, or stay by family?
Think mobility, if your mom or dad has no problem with steps than treat them out to the nicest hotel you could find. Always take a long senior membership program cards to get the best rate available. If like most elderly parents where mobility tends to be a challenge, it would be best to stay on a one floor villa. Rather than staying by a friend or family, having your own place will allow them to relax and to be more at ease. Staying at by someone may restrict them or force them to adhere to a certain schedule. This trip is all about flexibility and taking your time.
Word for the wise 👨🏻🏫
Make sure you give yourself ample time to get your loved one ready. The simplest task can easily turn into an hour. Don’t schedule bookings in advance which will conflict with the slow pace of a senior advanced in age. Try and see it that the villa which you are taking will be scenic and mobility friendly like some of the independent living facilities in Northeast Ohio.
Keep atop your head a pair of sunglasses to make it look like you’re on vacation but always remember what brought you here in the first place. Someone whom you loved needed to get out of the cold and to warmer weather. Maybe when its time for the older folks to retire for the night and they are sound asleep you can go explore the local night life. Always tell them what your night plans are and how could they get in touch with you.
The Senior Comfort Guide wishes you the best of luck and bonjour!
