Traveling with elderly mother

For what cities in Italy are you wanting transportation information? Can you give us a better idea about her limitations such as stamina, ability to walk short distances, etc?

In 2022, we used these two companies for transportation in Italy - both were excellent - not cheap - but excellent.

https://www.topexcursionsorrento.com

https://mydaytrip.com/

an elderly parent.

What is 'elderly'? Any disabilities or health issues?

What '3 or 4 places' and how many nights is the trip?

"Elderly" today is pretty vague. Is she in a wheelchair? Can she climb stairs? Is she willing and able to walk 1-2 K?

Most Italian towns are well-served by train/bus public transport. The train stations are in town, and within walking distance of hotels, if you are willing to walk 1-2 K (up to about 1.2 M). Many are flat. Hill towns are not flat, and taxis are good for those.

Apryl, we need a lot more info.
How old is your mother?

What, more exactly, are her mobility challenges? Let's just say if she can't do stairs at all, then you have bigger issues than if she can at least do some.

Which 3-4 places you are intending to visit? How do you intend to travel between them?

What are the attractions you want to see in those 3-4 places?

Be aware that finding hotels that sleep 3 people on real beds. One room may be a challenge. Take that into consideration when budgeting - you may need two rooms or consider an apartment.

What do you mean by a fair amount of transportation? Do you mean traveling from one city to another? Or traveling around within the city to various sights?

I would recommend picking the cities based on ease of travel for mom. If stairs are a problem, don’t go to Venice or the Amalfi Coast. If hills are a problem, that rules out a lot of places in Tuscany.

Spend a minimum of 3 nights in each place (more in Rome). You want your memories to be of BEING there, not getting from place to place and the stress that can bring. Are you planning to travel by train?

Another factor to consider is the effect of air travel on older people. Passengers on aircraft have as much as 25% less oxygen available and will have blood oximeter readings that would cause concern in a hospital setting. The effect of long flights on older people, in combination with jet lag, can be significant. Plan on extra time and a slow start at the beginning of the trip to provide for needed normalization.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8281225/

From a previous post in 2022 about traveling with a cousin and their mothers on a Mediterranean cruise, she says the mothers are 75 and 80. The OP has asked questions previously and never responded but this is the first time she’s asked a question with so little to go on.

Thanks for all of the information everyone! My mom is almost 80 and she can walk for about 15-20 minutes, but then really needs to sit for a bit. We are planning on taking her to Rome, Florence, and possible Venice. She really wants to see my favorite spot in Italy, the Cinque Terre, but I can't imagine us going. I know there is a train that connects all of the 5 villages but it's also very hilly. I'm hoping that we can take trains between all the cities (or maybe Ryan Air from Florence to Rome, etc.) but while we're in each place I'll definitely need to secure daily transportation so we're not walking all the time.
Thanks again for all of your advice!
Apryl

Apryl,
Given the information you shared about your Mom's mobility, I would suggest securing a walker that has a built-in seat, or renting a motorized scooter, if possible. Places to sit down in both Florence and Rome are few and far between, unless you plan to stop at cafes frequently. In Rome I would use taxis to avoid the crowded buses and the stairs in the metro.

When traveling between cities by train, will your Mom be able to step up into the train with your assistance? How do you plan to deal with your luggage?

Venice would be very difficult for her to manage because of the many, many bridges. Again, sitting after 20 minutes could be problematic. If you decide to go to the Cinque Terre, use the ferries, if running, to avoid walking the hilly terrain.

It's wonderful that you and your sister want to take Mom to Italy. But I think you will need to do some very detailed planning. I'm sure you will receive some useful suggestions on this forum.

Thanks for the additional information. I think you are doing a very good job thinking about your mom’s needs while planning this Italian adventure. Eliminating CT is a wise decision given your mom’s inability to walk without tiring. For your other 2 or possibly 3 cities I think these modifications would help:

In Rome, the most sprawling city, use taxis located at official taxi stands as often as you need to. Also there are golf cart tours to take her around the city for an overview of buildings and monuments from the outside. Here is a discussion with some recommendations on the forum from last year. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/golf-cart-tour-rome

In Florence stay in the center even though there will be more people. The major sites are very close to one another and slowly walkable. She can return to your hotel for a rest from time to time if needed.

EDIT: we have stayed at this hotel on a quiet street very close to the Duomo. https://www.hoteldelanziflorence.com/

In Venice there is a lot of walking involved with fewer places to sit and rest, except cafes once you reach a piazza. There are also so many bridges with steps crossing the canals. Watch some YouTube videos with her to see what you think. You may need to pick a smaller, compact city with less walking such as Lucca.

Trains in Italy are really convenient to connect cities. No need to fly, go through security and wait at an airport with your itinerary.

In all cities, budget for taxis to and from the train station to your lodging.

Budget $$ for sit down coffee or drink breaks in interesting piazzas to give her a rest in all of your cities.

Buy trip cancellation insurance within 2 weeks of booking your airline tickets so any preexisting medical conditions would be covered. Only book hotels with a good cancellation policy, more expensive than the lowest rate but good value in your plans change.

If you have more or specific questions come back and ask. Give us as much information as you can and have a great trip.

Have you considered renting a wheelchair?

https://www.mobilityequipmenthiredirect.com/mobility-equipment-hire/c447-wheelchair-hire-in-italy-rome/

If Mom does not already have something like this--

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Drive-Medical-Four-Wheel-Rollator-Rolling-Walker-with-Fold-Up-Removable-Back-Support-Red/1000968602?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-bth-_-ggl-_-PLA_BTH_225_Faucets-Showerheads-And-Bath-Decor-_-1000968602-_-online-_-0-_-0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIirvOmOCT_wIV_yqtBh3wTA0pEAQYBSABEgL7-PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

you may want consider it. A bit of a hassle in airports or trains, but something to help steady her walking and having a place to sit when needed.

If you do go to CT, riding the ferry ( Monterosso to Riomaggiore) is a great way to view the villages and scenery, while limiting walking.

I don't think Venice will work well. If it's a must, you can find a hotel walkable from the train station without crossing bridges by zooming in on Google Maps. Then you can take a vaporetto trip down the Grand Canal--though the steps down into the boat and later up out of the boat may be an issue. Google for vaporetto photos to see what you think.

I believe you can get to Piazza San Marco from the vaporetto stop without crossing a bridge. You'd want to get online entries for the church ahead of time to avoid the long line. I don't remember whether there are seats in the church where your mother could rest.

Venice definitely calls for some pouring over a map and looking for unavoidable bridges. It's not uncommon to have to cross six or seven bridges during a 20-minute walk.

Would theses be helpful?

https://veneziaautentica.com/accessible-venice/

https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/accessible_venice.htm

https://spintheglobe.net/dir/2019/11/13/wheelchair-guide-venice/

The first one has videos of easier walking itineraries so that you can see what they would be like.

Most dangerous place for the elderly is the bathrooms. So once you get back from the cobblestones, the steps, the ruins, the transportation, be aware as you retreat to the hotel room.
Smaller showers than US, tubs to step up and down in and out. Elevated shower floors, needing same. Hot water controls unfamiliar. Hard surfaces all around. Sharp edges. Slippery tile.
A fall can be a disaster.

Hi Apryl,

You’ve received some great advice. I’m going to throw out a couple of other locations that are relatively flat that she might do well navigating, just in case your initial plans become too much for her stamina.

Thinking of a site with water that isn’t hilly…Stresa on Lake Maggiore is very beautiful with historical elegant hotels, has some very close tiny islands with beautiful gardens. I fly into Malpensa (near Milan) and just take the Alibus (small shuttle bus) from the airport directly to Stresa. It drops people off right next to this hotel: I know the Milan Speranza du Lac Hotel in Stresa has two decent sized elevators.

Verona is on the train line between Milan & Venice. It’s tourist friendly, has a Roman Arena, some nice piazzas. If Rome becomes too much for her while you’re planning, this could give her a nice smaller city with a compact, flat old center. Hotel Bologna is very close to Piazza Bra. They have an elevator, but I don’t remember how large. If you’re not there during opera season, it will be less expensive. Verona has nice pavers and granite instead of cobblestones.

Another small city with a very compact old center area is Cremona. The cathedral interior is gorgeous, covered with beautiful frescoes. The piazza is the perfect setting of feeling like you’re in Italy. Antonio Stradivari was from Cremona, and they have a wonderful museum and short daytime concerts on the weekend, in case she likes classical music. It’s just an hour from Milan by train.

Lucca is another flat city that’s charming and still not as crowded as some. It’s close to Pisa, if that’s on her wishlist, also.

Yes, a fall can be a disaster as we experienced when my elderly mother tripped over a cobblestone and broke her kneecap in Belgium. Thanks be to the excellent hospital and doctors in Ypres!

Having had that experience, plus planning a trip for my father when he was about 85 (unfortunately not able to go on that trip in the end), I will offer a few thoughts.

First, finding an appropriate hotel is not easy so it requires a lot of research. Obviously you want a room with no steps. Be sure to check out the entrance as well as steps within the room. Is the shower easy to enter and are there grab bars? My second criteria was that there had to be restaurants within about a 3 minute walk. At the end of the day, your mom is likely to be too tired to make a hike of several blocks there and back to dinner. Does the hotel serve breakfast so that she doesn't need to do unnecessary walking before your touring day begins? And finally, are the transportation options you selected easily available near the hotel? For example, busses may be a good option within towns, but not if you have to walk several blocks to get to the nearest stop.

Finally, please do consider taking a Rollator with a seat on the trip with you as previous posters suggested. Using that, especially on cobblestones, would have meant the difference between my mother having a good time on her one trip to Europe vs. spending her trip in the hospital. It would also give your mom a place to sit when she gets tired, as another poster commented. Failing that, keep your arm linked with hers on the streets until you get inside the museum, etc. My friend and I do that all the time anyway when we're in Europe because of the uneven pavement. It doesn't even look weird because we noticed many local women doing it as well.

None of this should discourage you from taking this trip. It's a very special thing to share this experience with your parent. It just takes more detailed planning. So go for it!

Because so many European hotels are in repurposed old buildings, sometimes two or more old buildings knocked together, there can be unexpected level changes as you walk down the hall or even inside your room. European societies are less litigious than ours, so you'll encounter stairs without railings and other hazards. That's something to keep in mind as you select lodgings; if you haven't traveled with your mother before, you may not even have noticed these minor physical impediments, because they wouldn't bother you. I wonder whether it would be smart to consider reserving handicap-accessible rooms to reduce the likelihood of tripping hazards.

There are plenty of elevator-equipped hotels that nonetheless have some rooms that require going up at least a few stairs; sometimes it's an entire flight. I've had good, if not perfect, luck requesting an elevator-accessible room at the time of reservation; obviously, any handicap-accessible room should have full elevator access. I'd also recommend using Google Maps' street view to check the entry point to the hotel. Plenty of them have steps up to the front door, and there's not always a ramp.

About traveling around in Italy in general based on my experience as a person with bad knees...

Cobblestones are ubiquitous and easily tripped on. Smooth pavement is rare. Some places are steeply inclined. Many have steps and stairs. Handrails for either are rare. Sometimes going down stairs or inclines is more challenging than going up them.

Bench seating for resting, outside or inside is rare. Cafes and bars (not the same thing as American bars) are great for taking breaks with seating indoors and out. And you can use their toilets.

Weather can be an issue depending on when you go. Be sure to check https://www.timeanddate.com/ for historical data for your potential dates in the places you're going. It could be rainy and wet cobblestones are very slippery.

Train stations may or may not have elevators or ramps to get to the tracks. If they do have an elevator, it will likely be in a location that requires walking quite a ways to get to it and then back on the platforms to get to the place to board the train. And as others have said, getting on and off trains, especially with luggage can be difficult. Pack light.

Use Booking.com (https://www.booking.com/?auth_success=1) to try to find your accommodations. Start with a simple search, then filter for your needs. I've rented apartments in Rome, Venice and Florence. All were in historical buildings and none had an elevator. Charm has a price. 😉 Whether y'all decide to stay in a hotel or B&B or apartment, be sure to check on the elevator situation. There may not be one or if there is, it may not start on the ground (our 1st) floor and/or it may stop before getting to the top floor. Also pay particular attention to the bathroom pictures. The listing may say that the apartment or hotel room has a shower, but it may not be a walk-in shower. At 77 I'm close to your mom's age and I haven't stayed in a place with a tub/shower combo for many years. Especially in Italy, the tub sides are very high and the bottom is narrow, rounded like a tube and slippery.

About Rome...

Similar to the Golf Cart tours is one offered by Scooteroma in an Ape Calessino: https://scooteroma.com/tours/ape-calessino-tour/
The big advantage with a vehicle like this is that it seats 3 besides the tour guide and can go places taxis can't go, getting you closer so that there's minimal walking.

I did a private back of the Vespa tour with this organization a few years back and it's one of the best things I ever did. My tour guide picked me up at and returned me back to my apartment door. Along the way, we made 2 stops for refreshments and potty breaks. I chose the street art intinerary, adapted to my needs and interests. For inspiration, click on Tours at the top of the page and explore.

About Florence...

It's pretty flat and fairly easy to walk around and the museums are amazing, but all the general information above applies.

About Venice...

Pay close attention to what others have said. Those beautiful bridges with the curved walls actually have steps, not a smooth curved surface like the walls. Vaporetto travel is great, but getting on and off could be a little wobbly. Older people have priority for the seats closest to where you get on and off.

About Cinque Terre...

I was not impressed and I'd never go again. The RS tour I was on took the ferry as others have suggested. We stopped to unload and load passengers at each village. There were literally thousands of people waiting at each one. It was June, so it may not be as bad when you go.

Just an additional note about bathrooms...
At restaurants and bars, they can sometimes be in the basements, down a flight of stairs. Your mom might need an arm for assistance to access the facilities if stairs are a challenge.

Wheelchairs:
They are available to borrow for visiting a number of the larger museums, such as the Vatican Museums (Rome) and Uffizi (Florence). Supply may be limited. The downside would be trying to see the collections over the crowds from a sitting position but hopefully the more thoughtful visitors will make room. :O)

What are her actual limitations? Does she live alone? I am trying to better understand what she would be capable of doing at age 79.
Have you tried google to find companies or guides and drivers who provide local transportation?