Senior Care in Plano, TX
Summer is just around the corner, which means that if yours is like many families your mind is on planning fun warm-weather adventures. Summer vacation is a chance to reconnect with your elderly loved ones outside of your usual routine, experience new things together, and spend quality time building memories that will last a lifetime. As with anything else you do with your aging loved ones, however, bringing your senior care plan on the road for a summer vacation requires special planning and preparation. Taking the time to get ready and put the right plans into place helps ensure a safe, happy, and healthy experience for everyone on the trip.
Try some of these tips for preparing for a summer vacation with your aging parents:
• Bring along help. If your elderly loved ones have a home care provider, ask them if they would be willing to come along with you on the vacation. You are responsible for their travel expenses as well as payment for their services while on the trip, but bringing them along can give you peace of mind that there is help available for your elderly loved one, so you can still enjoy the trip while making sure their needs are met.
• Consider all-inclusive options. Planning all of the details of a trip can be a major undertaking, even when you are not also making sure all of your senior care plan details are in place. Look into all-inclusive vacation options that allow you to pay one fee to cover accommodations, meals, and activities. This type of package is common among island destinations, but you can also plan an educational experience in a wide variety of countries through inclusive programs such as Road Scholar.
• Plan well in advance. Spontaneous trips may be fun and exciting for you, but suddenly springing a trip on your seniors can cause stress and anxiety. Start planning your vacation as far in advance as possible so you can start talking to them about it. This gives them a chance to get used to the idea and get excited knowing the plans are under control.
• Plan for their abilities. Your vacation will be much less stressful if you design it with your elderly parents’ physical and cognitive capabilities in mind. You want to be able to relax and enjoy the experience as well, so make sure you plan something that will not require you to spend all of your time providing them with additional assistance.
• Keep comfort in mind. A smaller rental vehicle and sharing a standard room may save on your vacation budget, but these sacrifices in comfort may not make the savings worth it in the long term. Consider the length of your drive and the amount of luggage, mobility equipment, and other items will be in the car with you when determining the size of vehicle to rent. Keep in mind nightly habits, modesty issues, and sleeping preferences when considering if you should share a standard room, share a suite, or get adjoining rooms.
• Get familiar with your destination. Whether you are traveling across the state or across the country, do some research to become familiar with your destination before you go so you can feel confident once you arrive. Use the Internet and make phone calls to find grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals, and familiar restaurants in the vicinity of your hotel and planned activities so you can get the things you need while on your trip.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Senior Care in Plano, TX, Please Call The Caring Staff At Second Family Home Care At (972) 846-HOME (4663).