You know what it’s like to travel from place to place in your own city or community. The traffic is busy, driving can be dangerous and at times, pedestrians are at risk just crossing the street. If it’s this bad for you, imagine what it can be like for a senior parent or loved one who has to navigate the city streets. They may have walking difficulties or other health problems to deal with while watching out for traffic.
Here are some tips to navigating the city streets with seniors. They are based on planning well in advance.
- A week before. Yes, that may sound like you are overdoing it but with appointments and other errands, it’s best to be prepared. Add the trip to your to do list for that day and allow yourself plenty of time to get around. The elderly tend to be slower and appointments are quite often later than specified. Try to organize the outing so you are not running from one end of town to the other.
- 12 to 48 hours before you leave. Make sure the plans you have made will still work. Has anything else come to your attention that needs to be addressed? Possibly the senior you are caring for has become ill or is not feeling as well as they did several days ago. Will appointments need to be changed or added time needed for the outing? Remind the senior of the plans for that day just to make sure they remember each stop.
- The day of the trip. Spend some time relaxing before you leave. Ensure that you have everything that you will need including a list of questions for any healthcare providers. Remind your senior an hour before you need to leave. Give them lots of time to dress comfortably and be ready to go.
Travelling with seniors requires a bit of preparation and organization. This way you’ll have a more relaxing day. To read the full article on making local travel easier for the senior in your life, click here.
