Traveling With Elderly Parents: A Caregiver’s Guide
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Time to read 5 min
It’s natural to want to plan vacations for elderly parents to join in on the fun. After all, time is precious, and adventuring in nature, soaking up a new city, and making memories with the people you love can be absolutely rejuvenating for the mind, body, and spirit. But before booking flights, it’s important to consider: Will a trip actually be good for your older loved one?
Travel asks a lot: both from those caring for elderly parents, and older parents themselves. With joint pain, disrupted sleep, digestion, and routines, and cognitive changes that can make unfamiliar environments feel overwhelming — staying closer to home can sometimes be the better choice for an aging loved one.
This guide will help you figure out what's right for your loved one — whether that means planning a trip together or helping them feel just as connected from home.
- 8 Questions to help you decide if a trip is a good idea for your senior
- 5 Tips to help older parents feel included from home
- 5 Tips to plan a safe, enjoyable, senior-friendly trip
Is Traveling a Good Idea for My Senior Loved One?
It can be tough knowing when travel will uplift older loved ones, versus when it will do more harm than good. Here are a few questions to help you sort it out:
- Have they had any recent health or balance issues?
- Do weather or pressure changes trigger pain flares?
- Do they struggle with long periods of sitting, standing, or walking?
- Do unfamiliar places or routine changes cause anxiety, confusion, or overwhelm?
- Do changes in meal timing or diet tend to trigger digestive issues?
- Do changes to their sleep setup or routine affect their comfort, pain, or wellbeing?
- Have they been getting more overwhelmed or irritable, particularly around sundown?
- Have they become more forgetful: losing track of conversations, events, or where they are?
There's no magic number of "yes" answers that makes travel a bad idea — and it's important to involve your loved one in the decision. But more yes's than no's is worth considering how much these challenges could affect you and your loved one’s ability to enjoy the trip.
A note on dementia and traveling
Depending on your loved one’s stage of cognitive decline, travel can prompt more stress than relaxation. Unfamiliar places, disrupted routines, long travel days, jet lag, and changes in sleep can increase confusion or agitation. While cognitive symptoms can temporarily worsen, they typically resolve once back home.
Can flying make dementia worse?
Flying doesn't appear to permanently worsen dementia. But research suggests that lower cabin oxygen levels, dehydration, and disrupted sleep can temporarily intensify symptoms.1 Crossing time zones may prompt further disorientation by throwing off the body’s internal clock.
Senior Staying Home? 5 Ways to Stay Connected
If it's safer for your loved one to stay home, here are 5 long-distance caregiving tips (vacation edition!) on how to help elderly parents from a distance so they feel included and connected while you're away:
1. Plan a “meal out together”
Pick a night, DoorDash their favorite meal to their door, then start a video call so you can ‘eat out’ together! JubileeTV makes it easy for aging parents at home to join in the fun, allowing caregivers to launch a video call directly on senior’s TV — so they can see everyone on the biggest screen in the house.
2. Plan time to connect around your trip
As you plan your itinerary, reserve time on the calendar to connect with loved ones back at home. That could look like a video call on their TV to swap stories with the kids while you’re away, or planning a visit with them when you’re back home.
3. Keep their usual activities and medications on track
If you usually remind loved ones about medications, appointments, classes, walks, or calls, set those reminders before you leave. JubileeTV allows caregivers to send reminders to loved one’s TV screens where they can't miss it.
4. Check in without disrupting their day
If you usually remind loved ones about medications, appointments, classes, walks, or calls, set those reminders before you leave. JubileeTV allows caregivers to send reminders to loved one’s TV screens where they can't miss it.
5. Make sure someone nearby can step in
Even with remote check-ins, it gives real peace of mind to know there’s someone physically nearby who can step in if needed. A neighbor, family member, or close friend you trust can be good options to consider.
Senior Coming With? 5 Tips for Traveling with Elderly Parents
If you’re looking for vacation ideas for elderly parents, know that it’s natural for travel to look different over the years. A week exploring Greece might become three days at a restful resort nearby. What matters most is time together — and the less stress there is, the more room everyone has to actually enjoy it.
1. Think through pain, health, and accessibility needs
Consider anything that may make travel physically harder: chronic pain, mobility limits, CPAP or other equipment, wheelchair assistance, or the need for more frequent stretch breaks or bathroom breaks. If health has been unpredictable, a doctor check-in may also be worthwhile.
2. Give yourself extra time for everything
Build more flexibility into your days than you normally would. Pain, slower mornings, bathroom breaks, fatigue, or moments of confusion can all throw off timing — and rushing usually makes everyone more stressed.
3. Don’t jam-pack your days
One big activity a day can be plenty. A scenic drive through Sedona, a Grand Canyon overlook, a flat nature walk, or exploring a museum can still make for an incredible day. If one day is especially taxing, consider making the next one more restful.
Discover 17 Fun Activities for Seniors with Mobility Limitations →
4. Plan medication reminders for seniors before you leave
If you’re crossing time zones, make sure phones are set to automatically update or set them to your destination time zone in advance, so medication timing continues uninterrupted.
5. Keep comfort and essential medical items nearby
Keep medical essentials, comfort items, and a few familiar snacks on-hand. Items like noise-canceling headphones, a favorite show, music, or a blanket can help ground older adults when travel feels overwhelming. Familiar foods can also help settle sensitive stomachs.
Supporting Peace of Mind,
Wherever Your Travels Take You ♡
JubileeTV makes it easy to stay connected to your senior no matter where you are — whether that means discreet drop-ins, easy-to-schedule reminders, controlling parent’s tv remotely, or simply staying part of their day. So you can spend less time worrying, and more time enjoying your vacation. Learn more →
Author - Madison Reid
About the Author
With 7+ years of copywriting under her belt, Madison is a lifelong logophile. As Senior SEO + Content Strategist at JubileeTV, she's passionate about helping older adults navigate the world of tech to experience less stress and more joy, support, and connection with loved ones and caregivers. Outside of work, you're likely to find Madison hiking with their pup, road-tripping the Pacific Southwest, or nerding out over the latest health research and wearables.
