Travel with 72 yr. old parent

I took my healthy 70 year old mother on a trip.

Manage her energy. I don't have the energy I had in my 30's (let alone my 20's, as a teen or a kid). Even a healthy 70 year old won't have the energy of a younger person. IMO the best way to manage her energy is to eat regular meals/snacks/fluids and avoid unnecessary energy expenditures.

While I will happily miss meals to see a site, I made sure she ate at regular intervals and always carried extra snacks and drinks.

Only walk or spend time on your feet when you are actually seeing a site. Learn public transportation and use it (or a taxi) instead of a eight block walk to the next site.

When my mother "hit the wall" each afternoon I hailed a cab and took her back to the hotel. We ate dinner and then I continued touring while she got a good night's sleep.

If you allow her to get overly tired, she will need recovery time. Better to conserve her energy.

Also keep a mental note of nearby toilet locations:)

I agree with Brad. You won't be able to fly thru a city as if you were with someone younger. Go through the day's itinery with Mom. She should be aware of her limitations, and will tell you if the day's plans are do-able or not.

As Brad said, you may have to stop mid day and head back to the hotel, or sit down for an extended lunch at a cafe to take a breather.

Hey...Some times the breather isn't for mom... but for you! She may have more energy than you think! LOL

My mom is 74 years old and travels widely. By no means does she need to be "managed" -- she has more energy than most people I know, including me (and she's the most likely in any group to suggest skipping lunch to save time for something else). Going over the itinerary with your mom is a good idea. Why not ask HER what would make the trip pleasant for her? She knows herself better than anyone else does.

Try to have a hotel or apartment with a bathtub, to soak weary legs in the evening. Go to bed early and get a good night's sleep. I'm not in my 70's but this always works to rejuvinate me for the next day.

Salzburg is a treasure. Are you staying in the central downtown area? I would do that rather than a more removed place.. we used the bus in Salzburg and there are some great parks for resting and enjoying... pacing of the trip is important.. it might take your Mom a little longer to recover from the jet lag ... I would make sure she doesn't get too tired... recharging the battery does seem to take longer as we age.. hope you both enjoy each other and Salzburg

Salzburg has to be one of the best places for an older person to visit. It's not a big city. Does your Mom love music? There are wonderful concerts to go to. There is always a concert going on in Salzburg no matter when you visit. Hearing some beautiful music like Mozart would give her a nice rest and also taking advantage of what Salzburg has to offer. I was there in November 2006 and the weather was nice. October should be even better, not too hot for her or too cold. Perfect!
Karen suggested staying in a hotel in the centre of everything. That is important. My hotel was far from everything, but being middle aged, I'm still able to walk a long distance. Staying in the center will cost more, but very much worth it. 72 is not that old, and am glad she's making a long trip like this now. I admire that.
Also, bus tours are a great idea if you can't walk very far. The Sound Of Music Tour is so much fun!
Have a trip of a lifetime!!!

Bathtubs aren't necessarily good!!! My 83 year old Mother got stick in one in London leading to one of the funniest and embarassing incidents of our whole trip! The problem was that the tub was much narrower than we are used to and she couldn;t turn to get out.
She did have some limited mobility but could handle the tube at home. Much safer to use showers!!!

BTW 70 is young these days!!!!! Have loads of friends older than that who travel on their own all the time......supposedly 50 is the new 30!!!!!! My mother traveled until she was 85.

Keep in mind that while she may be able to walk a few miles each day, is she able to walk that several different times throughout the day? It is all accumulative. You can walk more than a mile in each airport, so consider a people mover just to save the feet. If she can take an anti inflammatory, whether aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, celebrex, keep on a regular schedule with it. I find that taking something before you get pain does more that taking it in response to the pain.

Number one thing for diabetic to watch is her meals, she MUST eat regularily, I know you and she know this, but it is so easy to screw this up on vacation. You are in the middle of a site,, and you figure we'll eat after this, but " this" took longer then you thought.
Plan meal times and snack times carefully. This is also good " rest periods".
Also as you know she must watch her feet carefully , diabetics often have issues with poor circulation tha can cause a small problem to explode into a big one fast, make sure she visually checks her feet each day( small sores are often not felt ) and wears the comfiest shoes ever.

Other then that I think everyone has made good suggestions.
Save her energy for when she really needs it, so use taxis when you must, ( don't cheap out here) and get assistance in airports if needed also. Let her tire out with fun stuff, not with dreary stuff.
Pack light. Pack light. Pack light.

Have fun with your mom, enjoy it .

Super responses from everyone. Thank you! I think I will be renting a car for part of the trip and do the Romantic Road at a leisurely pace. That, combined with about five days in Salzburg, will provide plenty of vacation for both of us. I am researching protein bars to keep on hand for Mom. I plan on just one sight per day with lots of relaxing in between. Thanks again everyone!

I have a somewhat related problem.

I am soon to be 64. I've made 6 two week trecks to Germany in the past 8 years, and I told my 23 y.o. daughter that I would take her with me sometime (she is a fan of German wines). But now I am getting concerned about her keeping up. She is not aware that the day starts before noon; I run a very full, tight schedule. How do I get her up and going at six, get her to eat a full but relaxed breakfast, and be on the road by 9?

Im 70 and my wife is 71.Last Nov. we were in Rome and walked from the RR station area to the Vatican and then to the Pantheon and then back to the RR area.Age has nothing to do with it.I know 14 year olds that couldnt (or wouldnt) walk that far.

Lee, here's my suggestion: Sometimes the 20-somethings need extra help to keep up with us mature individuals, their bodies have not yet reached full potential the way ours have. I suggest you have your daughter consult her physician before the trip, so that she can obtain the medications that will help her keep up with her father.

Have you every been talking to someone about someone else and suddenly looked around, and they have been standing there hearing everything you said. Well, I have been hearing everything you said.

I might not be 71 yet (hope to be sometime, It's better than the alternative), but I'm getting close, and I'm not so sure I would need some younger person making sure "this trip is pleasant" for me.

But from us "older folks", thanks for the thought.

Lee, getting up at SIX AM on vacation,,, ouch!!

I think you guys will need to work on compromise, as enjoying German wines and getting up at 6 am do not mix!!

I am 72. I walk a little over 6 miles EVERY day, including up 135 steps and down 135 steps, plus a few sets of weights and 25 minutes of stretching and warming up exercises.

I also have diabetes, had a quadruple bypass, several stents and angioplasties, knee surgery and aches and pains too numerous to mention. Meet me in Roma at the Spanish Steps and I'll be BACK to the bottom before you get to the first African con-man on the first level.

It's attitude. Let your mother alone. She got to 72 without your help and she can get the rest of the way without your patronizing.

I think DeAnn is very sweet to be concerned about her mother, and to ask for how to make her trip pleasant.

However, it depends on the person as Charles has clearly pointed out. I wouldn't mess with him, that's for sure!

Have a wonderful time with your mother DeAnn.

My goodness, an awful lot of people posting must be very young if you think 70 is OLD!!!!! Obviously at any age, one's physical limitations/health must be taken into consideration but the average 70 year old nowadays is in great shape and does a lot. Travaeling is a lot less tiring than staying home and caring for the grandchildren!LOL

We leave in 58 days for 3 weeks in Europe with our kids and my Grandmother, my kids great Grandmother. The kids are 12 and 16, and Grandma is 91. The timing for sleep, energy, fueling aka feeding, is more for the kids than for Grandma. She refuses to pre-board on airplanes because that is for old and handicapped people, proof that age is a state of mind. What did she want to do to make this trip pleasant? She decided we should fly premium economy so we could all be a bit more comfortable, and that we should take a first class train so that we can eat in the restaurant car, which she wanted to do as a child but couldn't afford. How do you make a trip pleasant for her--ask her, I am sure she will be happy to tell you.

Too bad we all can't be Jack LaLane! Look at him over 90!!
I'm glad DeAnn is renting a car. That could save you some money. Since you will have a car, maybe you don't need to travel too light. Shopping is fun in Salzburg, and you may want to do some Christmas shopping for family and close friends when you are there. Very charming shops. Traveling in October, you don't have to feel you are Christmas shopping too early. I know there are many more things to do besides shopping, but that could be one more fun thing to do and she can take her time. The shops are small and close together, so is easy to get around.
Happy Travels!!

I agree with Eli,, DeAnn does not need to " let her mother alone" as she is doing nothing wrong. She is showing love and concern and wants only to make the trip pleasant for her,, she is being a considerate daughter.

Charles you are very lucky to be so healthy and fit with all the problems you mentioned,, and yes attitude helps, but, its not like my other people who do not have your constitution have bad attitudes, just sometimes bad luck.

Good luck and great genes explain the 101 yr old UK man that just ran a marathon, AND he STILL drinks and SMOKES!!!!!

DeAnn- check out Glucerna products to carry for snacks. They are designed to meet the diatary needs of diabetics. Does your mom use insulin? Does it need to be refrigerated? If so, check with your hotels to be certain this can be accomodated. Be certain you carry her mediation list with namebrand, generic and chemical format listed in case emergeneries arise. Also, carry some glucogon with you. Her doctor and your mom can give you the best advice. Just be sensible.

Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions. Let me assure you that I am just doing the foot work. Mom has some definite ideas of what she wants to do but is too busy to search out the details. I actually purchased the RS DVD on Austria and am using that to show Mom various options from which she will choose. I suggested she come on this site and copy the posts to show to my Dad who has a similar health history as some of you active travelers. He has a difficult time with his knees, even after replacement, and worries about sitting for long periods of time on an airplane. I would like to convince him that he can do it! Thank you for the encouragement. Also, Mom has had a difficult time regulating her diabetes so the suggestions about food have been much appreciated. We will be traveling to NYC this summer for a short trip and will try these suggestions. Many thanks and happy traveling!

This is my post trip report. We are not going to make it to Salzburg. Our NYC trip was wonderful but proved to be almost too much. Mom decided she would rather do short, closer trips. So we enjoyed New York and saw "Wicked" in Los Angeles. She just returned from a three day camping trip, complete with horseback riding and has a trip planned to watch her favorite team play football. She is NOT good with her eating habits. She enjoys being thin and eats less than she claims and, as I discovered in NYC when I ended up wearing her shoes through the Met, she does not wear appropriate clothing and footwear. I believe this is more "human nature" than age. We all do great at some things and not so good at others. So, for now, I am cooking and sharing a little more, and being content with "closer to home" travel. HOWEVER, next spring my husband and I WILL be taking our last at home child (16 yrs. old) on a trip. Her three must do's are: Visit Ireland to enjoy the accent, run on a beach in Greece, and hike the Swiss Alps. My husband is having a ball planning around those destinations. Mom can come if she wants...and if she buys some decent shoes!

Gee Deann, how nice of you to post back,, sometimes it would be so nice to hear how things worked out for people,, but you never hear back..

Your mom sounds like quite a character,, LOL, I'd say you have your hands full ! LOL

Thats great that you and family will make it to Europe next year, your daughter will love it..

Tell hubby to look at Wengen in Swiss Alps, its a small pedestrian only town just above Lautrebrennan and from there you can take a cable car and do some absolutely AMAZING hikes, totally " Hiediland" stuff, cow bells in the distance , wildflower meadows, majestic snow capped peaks etc etc,, and anyone can do these hikes, my 12 yr old loved Wengen so much that if asked about her trip to Europe( 5 countries in 26 days) she always says Wengen was her favorite place.

Anyways,, It sounds like you have lots to do Stateside with your mom, and she does sound slightly naughty with poor eating habits and bad shoes,, hmmm , no Europe for her,, LOL Tell her if she cleans her plate she may have a nice trip to look forward to... and the energy to enjoy it!