Holidaying with older parents in Australia or abroad, can be an immensely rewarding experience, with a little bit of pre-planning, for everyone involved.
Holidaying with older parents offers a whole range of social and health related benefits. With many families spread further apart than ever before holidaying together can often stave off loneliness among older people, and therefore too conditions like depression and anxiety.
A carefully planned ‘family holiday’ provides a change of scenery, helping to enhance the chemistry between children, parents and grand-parents. This intergenerational element encourages all family members to connect on a whole range of different levels allowing everyone to experience ‘quality time’ they would not normally expect.
If you include the children, older parents can really benefit from spending special time with grandchildren in all sorts of ways.
The secret to organising successful multi-generational holidays always comes back to careful planning.
Here are six very simple tips that will make all the difference to ensure your holiday plans come together smoothly:
- Duration: Families today often prefer longer trips to older generations. Settle on a happy medium that won’t cause disappointment (maybe 4-5 days) or decide to meet up for only part of a longer trip.
- Destination: Choose a location with a suitable climate, accessible spaces and plenty of culinary options. Prioritise selecting a destination where you can spend quality time together.
- Transportation: Try to choose less intense transport options (such as ferry, car or coach travel). When this isn’t possible, call your travel provider ahead of time to discuss what extra support is available.
- Accommodation: Select a type of accommodation that’s well-resourced and easily accessible. A hotel lets you take a more hands-off approach, while a self-catering apartment can keep you all together
- Attractions: Look for attractions and activities suitable for all age groups. Keep your schedule flexible (including lots of rest/refreshment breaks) and don’t be afraid to separate off to do different things during the day.
- Medication: Double-check your parents have brought all the medication they’ll need during the trip, including some spares. Ask them to bring any relevant paperwork in case replacements are needed.