Travelling with Older Relatives – Our Tips to Keep Them Comfortable

Visual Credit: Porapak Apichodilok

Travelling can be a real family affair. No matter the age gap between everyone, travelling with those nearest and dearest to you means that you will be able to make some amazing memories together. There are many destinations that you can head to as a family unit, but deciding to travel with older relatives does come with a few limitations. Let’s take a closer look at what you should do to ensure that your older relatives can travel in comfort.

Visual Credit: Catarina Sousa

Get Insured 

You should have a good travel insurance policy before you head off anyway, but it is even more important when travelling with older relatives. They might be on certain types of medication that could make securing a traditional insurance policy a little more difficult. Therefore, it is vital that you find one that can offer them the coverage they need, such as the policies offered by Staysure. 

Unfortunately, we can never tell when our relatives are going to fall ill. A stay in a foreign hospital will not just spoil the mood of the trip, it can quickly become expensive to manage. Therefore, it is key that you have a good insurance policy in place to help you manage this eventuality should it come to pass.

Have Rest Days 

While you might want to pack your holiday itinerary with activity after activity, it is also important to add in a few rest days. This will allow your older relatives to recover and catch up as they might not bounce back after a long and busy day as quickly as other members of the family. 

Just spend the day at your accommodation relaxing, or head somewhere like the beach where you can all enjoy a little downtime. Try to keep things as low-key as possible. You can all do your own thing, or you can come together for a quiet activity. This could be the occasion where you actually make some of your best memories together. Not everything has to be big and fun and exciting. There is a simple joy that can be found in the quiet moments with your family in a beautiful location too.

Plan Activities to Suit Them 

What can your relatives handle? If you have very active older relations, they might be able to handle scaling the steps of a medieval city or hopping on a cycling tour. Others might prefer something more sedate like a canal tour or an afternoon at a cooking class and a tasting session. 

When you are planning the trip, get together as a family and discuss everything that you want to do. Try to ensure that everyone has the chance to do an activity of their choosing. You don’t always have to head out as a group – you can break off into smaller ones if you prefer, but you have to make sure that everyone can do something that appeals to their tastes. Focusing the holiday around the preferences and hobbies of one individual will get boring quickly, and it could mean that your older relatives can’t take part in what you have planned effectively. 

Visual Credit: Monstera

Travelling with older relatives gives you the opportunity to spend time together and make some new memories. Don’t think it has to be all cruises and bus tours, there are plenty of holidays you can plan that will be fun for everyone. Take the time to plan together as a family, and you will be able to enjoy a holiday where everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves to the fullest extent. Start planning today!