5 things you must do when traveling with grandparents

Family trips that include grandparents make great memories. Though you might feel that it's too much trouble to be with your elderly parents, your children will love being on vacation with their grandparents.

Here are 5 things you must do to ensure that your family will have a great vacation together with your parents.

1. Ensure that the itinerary is not too fast paced.

Old folks tend to get tired easily and thus, it is not advisable to include activities that are too strenuous. It is also not advisable to pack too many activities in the itinerary such that you have to rush from one place to another.

2. Ensure that everyone has ample sleep.

Plan to have at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep for each day of your vacation and try to avoid having any more activities after 11 p.m. Prepare some hot water for your parents to soak their legs before bed time if you had a fair amount of walking during the day.

3. Have ample supply of their medication.

If your parents are suffering from diabetes, asthma, hypertension, high cholesterol or any other illness, make sure to bring along an ample supply of medication from their doctors to last for the whole trip.

To ensure that you remember to bring the medication, create a checklist of things to bring and put their medication among the top five items on that list. As a safety precaution, ask them to carry a medical record of their illness and contact details in case you are not around when they need medical attention.

4. Plan for small, frequent meals. 

Most elderly folks do not take heavy meals, so you need to plan for multiple light and healthy meals that are low on salt, oil, and sugar but high in fiber.

Always have a sandwich or high fiber biscuits in your bag in case they get hungry and there isn't a snack bar in the vicinity. Also make sure that everyone drinks a lot of water to prevent dehydration.

5. Bring along a first aid travel pack.

Your first aid travel pack should contain medication for fever, diarrhea, and colds. It should also include a thermometer, tweezers, sharp scissors, safety pins, adhesive bandages, sterile gauze, adhesive tape, and antiseptic wipes.

While this list is not exhaustive, these should be enough to cater to most conditions that require general first aid assistance. Do check the expiry date for those medications that you bring along to ensure that they are safe for consumption.

Traveling with grandparents will be a memorable experience for you and your kids. Plan ahead, take care of their needs, and involve them in all the activities along the way. Remember to have fun!

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