If you have an elderly loved one that used to love taking you to the ocean when you were younger, you might feel the inclination to return the favor to them now that they are older. Especially if they are in an assisted living facility and don’t get out much, taking them to a place that means a lot to both of you and will bring back great memories for them could be a great idea.
However, visiting the ocean now can bring on a lot more challenges than it did when your loved one was younger. So to help ensure that this experience is positive for both of you, here are three tips for visiting the ocean with your elderly loved one.
Protect Their Medical Equipment
As many people age, they begin to need certain types of medical equipment to help them with things like getting around or hearing things. And while these things can be very beneficial in many situations, when you’re going to be going to the beach, you’ll want to be very careful with this type of medical equipment.
If your loved one uses hearing aids or other devices that they won’t want sand getting into or around, you should try to take steps to keep this from happening. This might include wearing a hat that covers their ears. Additionally, if they use a walker, cane, or wheelchair, you’ll also want to consider how using this equipment might be more challenging on this type of terrain.
Stay Close To The Restrooms
When picking the perfect place to set up for your time at the ocean, it’s going to be important that you choose a location that will be easy to get to and easy to leave if necessary.
As a good rule of thumb, you should try to set up your chairs or put down your blanket close to where the restrooms are. This way, if your loved one needs to make a quick trip to the bathroom, they won’t have to walk too far in the sand or rocks in order to get there.
Take Care When Walking In The Rocks Or Sand
While you might have visions of an enjoyable afternoon spent at the beach with you and your loved one, actually making it to the beach can be harder than you might anticipate.
When you’re transitioning your elderly loved one out of the car, make sure the ground you’re parked on is firm so that they have solid footing to stand on. And as they start to make their way closer to the beach, make sure you give them a hand since walking on rocks and sand is often much harder for the elderly.
If you have an outing planned to visit the beach with your elderly loved one, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do this successfully.
