traveling with elderly

What does he want to see or do? Does he want to see quaint and charming? Spectacular and famous architecture? Eat European food? Figure out why he wants to go and you'll be halfway there. I'd recommend England as a destination. In London, taxis are everywhere and they won't rip you off, unlike cabbies in, say Rome. And the big black cabs are incredibly roomy and easy to get in and out of, though a bit pricier. When I took my elderly parents to England, I sprang for black cabs on that ground. The hop-on hop-off busses are also great for the less-than-ambulatory to see the sights. If you go outside of London, you can find picture perfect English villages in places like the Cotswolds. Rent a car and don't worry about hoofing it from bus or train stations. In fact, not far outside London is the quaint picture postcard village of Shere. My parents thought it was one of the nicest places they saw, and our afternoon cream tea there is still a memory I cherish now that they are gone.

This is a word for word duplicate of a post in "To the West". Duplicates tend to confuse both the people trying to provide answers, and also often confuse the original poster. It is possible to delete a post when you are logged in. Perhaps as this one has an answer you may delete the other.

From the ideas you've described it seems to me that your father just wants to "be" in Europe, not necessarily rush from one famous site to another. That can be the most wonderful way to experience Europe. I agree with the other poster that you should find out what he wants to get out of this trip. Were his parents or grandparents from Europe? Does he want to see where they came from? Many years ago we took my father to Italy to meet his cousins and to see the little town, even the house, that his mother was born in. He was overwhelmed (in a good way) to see all this, especially the little cemetery where his grandparents were buried. He, too, could only walk an short distance and then would have to sit on a bench. Stairs were awful for him and hard to avoid. He also took naps in the afternoon. It can be frustrating for the more ambulatory in your group because you feel that you are wasting precious "Europe" time. But it is something that you will have to make peace with. It was a wonderful experience and I'm so glad we did it. Renting a car is a must so he doesn't have to get on trains or buses. Or hire a driver if no one wants to drive.
Good luck, and I definitely think you should do it. Be sure to get trip cancellation insurance--you never know at his age something might come up and he won't be able to travel. That's just the reality of it.

Thank you so much for the speedy responses--some very good ideas for me to think about and discuss with my dad. If anyone else has additional ideas about good places to consider going, it will also be much appreciated!

It's been my experience that many places in Europe are not really "disabled" friendly...cobblestones, lots of stairs/steps. etc. I took my elderly parents to England and we stayed in a rented cottage. It worked out very well in that they could enjoy breakfast in their "jammies", get dressed and then go out somewhere and end up in a place for lunch and home. We would usually cook dinner "at home", using ingredients we bought in a local market. I agree with other posters who said renting a car was a good idea...gives a lot of independence and is a good way for your dad to see the countryside as well. My advice would be to avoid planning too many activities each day...maybe having an "at home" day every few days. While he's resting, you can go off on your own for a couple of hours. My parents still talk about that trip...you and your father will create your own great memories. Good luck and have fun!

You would really enjoy reading Incontinent on the Continent, a really funny book about a woman traveling with her aged mother in Italy. It will help you past any rough spots you might encounter.

I highly recommend something like this: http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___Hygiene___Walking_AidsWA222 (shop around; several versions of this are on the market - features, such as adjustable height, price, vary widely) I also suggest not moving around much (city to city); that's much more difficult than you'd think. Does he have any particular interests? Has he seen Rick's videos, and are there any common denominators in the various episodes? That would greatly shorten my response to your question as to where to take him! What a wonderful opportunity you have; be sure to allow time for the 2 of you to really enjoy this trip!