Taking a vacation with your parents is a great way to spend some time with them. Because your parents are elderly, however, you need to take time to plan it. There are many things to take into consideration, such as their health and what things they enjoy. Below is some information to help you get started.

Finding Out Their Health Concerns

If it has been some time since you have seen your parents, go visit them before you start making travel plans. This way you can see for yourself how they get around so you can take into consideration their mobility needs, as well as their overall health. Contact their doctors to make sure it is safe for them to travel. You should also know what medications they take, how many they take, and how often. Discuss this with their doctor so you will not leave any medications behind.

There are some cases where you parents should not fly. For example, if they have heart disease and they have symptoms while they are resting, they should not fly. If one of your parents has emphysema, the pressure changes in the airplane may affect them.  You may need to make sure your parents have oxygen available to them on the plane if they do fly.

If you are booking a flight, request wheelchair assistance on their plane ticket so they can get around easily at the airport.

Choosing a Hotel

When you start looking for hotels, make sure the one you choose can accommodate your parents. They may need shower chairs, handrails in the bathroom, sheet guards, a room that is close to the elevator, etc. Many hotels have wheelchairs available to assist their guests with moving between their rooms and the hotel lobby. If you need a wheelchair full-time or other accommodations, discuss them with the hotel, like The Baker House 1650, while you are booking the rooms.

Planning the Details

You should pre-plan what you are going to do while you are on vacation, such as the sites you plan to take your parents to. Make sure these places have wheelchairs that you can rent, elevators, or any other accommodations your parents will need. You also need to determine the distance between locations. If it is too far, your parents may not be able to walk that distance.  Find out what your transportation options are, such as public transportation or private cars.

Following these tips will ensure you and your parents have a great time on your vacation.