Everyone enjoys going on a trip, even if it’s just a day at the park or a weekend trip by the beach. What could be more enjoyable is if you could do it with your entire family, including your grandparents. Of course, it would require extra work as senior citizens could be frail, and they could also easily get stressed. So you should make sure you take their well-being into consideration every time you’re going on a trip with them.
How to Turn Any Trip with Your Grandparents More Exciting
According to research, regularly going out for vacations has several mental health benefits, whether it’s a solo trip or with your family. Of course, anyone going out of town to escape the busy city to unwind would help give you a much-needed. Taking time to take a short or an extended trip also promotes happy hormones. So can you imagine how much going on a trip with your grandparents would mean to them? Whatever your grandparents’ situations are, they rarely get to go out and have an active lifestyle, so taking them out for a trip would make their days.
But to make sure that they feel comfortable and that they are in their best health to make this trip with you, you should check on them first or ask a senior living advisor. Sometimes, as good as going on a trip could be, it might also stress them out. You should also plan a trip that would be suitable for them and their health. It doesn’t have to be grand; you can just go to the park and have a picnic or watch a movie in a cinema. Here are some other things you should remember:
1. Take time to plan your trip
Just like any trip, planning would make everything turn out well. You should do some research and look up information like some travel restrictions, outbreaks, weather, and some senior-friendly activities and destinations.
Pre-booking the places where you will eat, go sightseeing, and stay for the night would also lessen the hassle of going to several places only to find out they’re full or closed. These things might stress you and your grandparents.
2. Check on your grandparents
It would be best if you ask your grandparents if they are in the mood to go out on a trip with you, as some elderly people aren’t exactly outdoorsy. If they agree that they want to go on a trip, you should set their expectations of where you will be going and the activities you will be doing. Doing this would give them time to mentally prepare and gauge if they really want to do what you planned for them or go with a plan B.
3. Prepare a bag full of their essential things
Your grandparents have more needs than you, and some of them are essential to their health. So, when preparing for the trip, you have to make sure you’ve packed everything in their bags, like their prescriptions, medications, food, water, walker, extra clothes, hearing aids and batteries for them, first aid supply, sunscreen, and more.
4. Check on your grandparents all the time
Once you’re out with your grandparents, you have to also see how they are doing from time to time to make sure they’re still doing good. You should also set the alarm so that you will remember to remind them to take their medicines on schedule. Try not to walk fast, and assist them to feel you’re there to support them. Climbing up some stairs would be difficult for some older people, so don’t forget to offer a helping hand.
5. Ask them when they would like to go home
Toward the end of your trip, you should also ask them how they feel and if they enjoyed the day or want to go to another place and do another activity. Of course, if they say they want to do more, you should also know your grandparents’ limits, so even if they say that they still have the energy, you should let them know that they should take it slow and do it another day.
Have a Fun Trip with Your Grandparents
Now that you were able to pull off a fun trip with your grandparents, you can do the next one without any problems as you already know what to expect. Although some things happen unexpectedly, you’ll be much wiser to prepare for anything. Let your grandparents enjoy days with you as much as you can, as they deserve it, too.
