Tips for Traveling When Caring for Elderly Parents

One of the things many parents look forward to is the day when their kids are finally free of the roost so that they can do a bit of traveling. However, sometimes that just doesn’t happen soon enough before their aging parents are also relying on them for help. Even if they aren’t living with you, they can no longer do many of the things they once did so you are there to do things like their shopping and help with a bit of the upkeep for their home, which they can no longer manage.Actually, there are a few things you can do to make sure your aging parents have exactly what they need while you are away, whether it is for a week or maybe even a month.

Have You Researched Short Stay Respite Care?

While you are making your arrangements for that trip to the Greek Islands that you’ve always wanted to experience, why not do a bit of searching for senior facilities near me with short-stay services? It could almost be managed like a vacation of sorts for your elderly parents. They might appreciate being able to stay in a senior residence for a short time to have the companionship of others in their generation. There are always activities and various groups they could join for a bit of socialization they are lacking in their lives. Who knows? It might even make the transition to assisted living more comfortable for them at some point in the future.

Arrange for a Neighbor to Check in on Them

Depending on the level of help and care they need, you might have a friend or neighbor that could check on them daily and perhaps run any errands they might need done. While you might not want to ask your neighbors to mow their lawn or shovel their sidewalks, you could always hire a service in your area to come out while you are away.

Leave Them with Updated Contact Information

The one very important thing to remember is to provide them with a list of phone numbers they can access if needed. Perhaps some of your adult children could be on the list of contacts as well as numbers for the friend who will be caring for them and important physician contact information as well. The best idea is to tape the list to the fridge or post it on their corkboard to make sure they have those numbers at hand when needed.

This is something you have looked forward to for many years and it’s finally your turn to get a bit of R&R. There is no reason why you can’t arrange for someone to care for your parents when the time comes to finally vacation on the Greek Islands. You have worked and waited for this time of your life for so long, you can finally get away for a bit to enjoy some of what life has to offer outside the home. If planned well, there’s no reason not to take that dream vacation you’ve looked forward to for so many years.