Vacation is a time to sit back and unwind with family and friends including senior relatives. Taking care of senior relatives can make vacation difficult if the added responsibility of a loved one hinders your time to relax. The difficult decision has to be made whether or not to bring them along. This also includes how to ensure they are properly taken care of so that you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy your time off.
Care Options at Home
The first decision to make is whether or not to take your loved one with you on vacation. There are many considerations to make, one of which is options for care while you are out of town. This might include:
- Hiring hourly in-home care
- Hiring a live-in caregiver
- Asking a trusted relative or friend to fill in as needed
- Taking advantage of respite care (temporary care at a nursing home or assisted living facility)
Care Options on the Road
Families enjoy spending time together and this also includes inviting a senior relative to join the family vacation. When you take your senior relative with you on vacation, it is important to make plans to prepare for their additional needs which may include bringing along their caregiver. You want to be able to enjoy your vacation as much as everyone else, and having an extra hand from a caregiver is a beneficial way to enjoy time with them and know they are being well taken care of.
There are many benefits to bringing along your regular caregiver with you on vacation. For one, your loved one already has a rapport with the person, and he or she knows what to do to ensure your loved one does not encounter any issues while away from home. Other reasons include:
- Fewer responsibilities for you and your other family members
- More time to enjoy the vacation and take advantage of less stress
- Assistance with ensuring the senior is safe at all times with 1:1 care
If your loved one is still fairly independent and you are traveling with others who can help, you might be able to travel without the assistance of a caregiver.
How to Decide
There are many factors to consider before you make the ultimate decision on whether or not to take a senior’s caregiver with you when you go on vacation. These include:
- Current health of your loved one
- Type of assistance needed
- Vacation location and itinerary
- Additional people willing to help while you are on vacation
At Home Helpers, we provide several different in-home care services for seniors, ranging from companion care to respite care. We can assist with taking care of your loved one at home while you enjoy your vacation or can provide caregivers to travel to your vacation destination.
