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Suggestions for Day Tours and Travel Assistant for Senior with Mobility Challenges

Posted by (Oakland, CA) on

Hello,

My family will be traveling to Italy this May for a wedding in Tuscany and will be spending time exploring the sites (throughout Italy) on either side of the wedding festivities. This is a multi-generational family trip with kids who are 8, 14 and 16 going up to my mother-in-law who is 74. My mother-in-law has mobility challenges; she uses a walker and may need to switch to a wheelchair for longer stretches. We're interested in finding day tours and activities that will be doable for her but also interesting for the whole family. We will be spending some time in Rome and Florence and there is also interest in Naples, Pompei and the Amalfi coast.

Does anyone have any suggestions for day tours and activities that are accessible? In addition, any suggestions for sites to hire a travel companion/assistant who could help push a wheelchair and ease some of the logistics of travel?

Thanks!

Posted by
2571 posts

I would recommend renting a wheelchair (if she doesn’t have one) and bringing it with you.

Travel in Europe is much more challenging for people with mobility issues. Cobblestones, lots of steps, etc. You might be able to arrange some private bus tours, but you’ll probably need someone in your group to push the wheelchair. It would be good to have a discussion as a group about what will happen if an activity just isn’t suited to her mobility needs. Will she be ok skipping it? Or will the group do something different. What if she just gets tired during the day?

You might try this site: https://wheeltheworld.com/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=travel%20for%20disabled&utm_campaign=General+Travel+-+Broad&hsa_acc=3040811670&hsa_cam=9726533214&hsa_grp=97647259137&hsa_ad=641040525516&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-321402919902&hsa_kw=travel%20for%20disabled&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwue6hBhBVEiwA9YTx8OwIkuwGSyne_po6FC4iAcgFElgquccwpbeGx6RiSGuyHMsQIBj-ThoC_tQQAvD_BwE

Or this one: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/travelers-with-disabilities

Posted by
11948 posts

This one is very cheap and I wonder if it’s real? There are many so finding one that works wouldn’t be difficult. https://www.bluerockter.shop/products/4wheel-mobility-scooter

That price ($51.99) looks suspect. The battery for my garden string trimmer costs more.

That one could get a wheelchair/scooter with 13 hr lithium-ion battery is in the 'too good to be true' category

Posted by
28249 posts

Yes, that is odd, at best. and depending on which line of the advertisement you read, it weighs either 33 lb., 34 lb., or 53 lb.

Posted by
84 posts

A golf cart tour of Rome would be fun for the whole family. My family did this and it was fun.

Posted by
4105 posts

There’s no need to purchase a wheel chair or scooter. You can rent them when you get there.

https://www.romeanditaly.com/accessible/rental-equipment-for-disabled/

We’ve used this golf cart tour. Very informative, easy to work with and they will customize a tour for you if you wish.
Recommend doing this as early in your stay as possible. It’s a great way to acclimate everyone to the city. It was fun for our mixed ages group.

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