three family members with less than perfect health

[jlw29]

I have several questions / concerns regarding our upcoming trip to WDW and figure this is the best place to get advice.

The background -- I'm am in the process of booking a last minute extended family vacation. (My husband and dad just got assigned to a conference in Orlando in January) We will be down there for a week mid January. The stars lined up and I was able to convince my 92 yr old grandmother to come with us (traveling with an emergency physician helped convince her she'd be fine ) I am a control freak and want to try to plan for every possible problem, but with the short notice can't even come up with the PROBLEMS let alone solutions.

Here's my concerns so far.
1)My grandmother is totally independent with no significant medical problems. She acts decades younger than her age and does fine in her day to day life. But she is 92 so I know she won't have the stamina of the greatgrandkids.

2) My father has bad back problems from an accident. He also has more pride than you can imagine. I know he will not be able to handle walking through the park all day but would die before complaining.

3) My mom also has a bad back, although hers is much less limiting. However, we all know that WDW stresses your body to the limit.

I don't plan for this to be a commando vacation. We will be spending alot of time just relaxing at the pool home we rented. The focus here is going to be on spending time as a family, but it will be my nephews' first time at Disney, so I want to get as much out of our park time as possible. Heck, it's my parents' first time at Disney too!!!!

My solution for this is to rent a wheelchair each day at the parks and just force whatever family member needs it at the time to sit for a spell. This is going to take alot of finesse and tact (especially with my dad) but if that doesn't work, they usually listen to me when I tell them "I'm the doctor and I said so". (Kinda like "because I'm the mom and I said so", but usually more effective!) This is the first time I've been to Disney with anyone but DH and DDs, and I want it to be a great trip. Does anyone have any advice for us?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

My mother was 91 when I took her to Epcot. I told her she would have to use an ECV. She told me she didn't need it and could walk OK.

In New York she lives two long blocks from a subway station. I asked her if she could walk from her apartment to the subway. Her response was she could if she needed to. Then I asked "how about there and back three times in a row?" She gave me a very strange look. I then told her that was only once around the World Showcase Lagoon Promenade, so she gave in.

We spent about 8 hours in Epcot and she was exhausted, even on the ECV. But she really enjoyed herself and still talks about the trip to other family members.

It sound almost as if you would need three wheelchairs or ECVs. Transport of three ECVs is almost an impossibility in any normal sized vehicle, so you would probably have to rent in the parks. Unless you have enough adults (or large teenagers) to push wheelchairs, ECV rental is probably a necessity.

As a doctory you are probaly aware that basically a person has a certain amount of energy available to them daily. If they relax during the day the amount of energy available wil increase; when they sleep at night they recharge their system,

However, when in pain energy is used up much faster than in normal conditions. If you become exhausted, with by what you have done or, more importantly, what you have done while in pain your system will not recharge to the original energy level overnight and you are starting the next day with a lower amount of energy available.

You might want to look at these questions (and suggested answers) and discuss them with all three people (separately, if possible):

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are traveling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

 

[arminnie]

I know you want to be together as a family, but it may be best to schedule some park time for your younger members without the elders.

I just got back from a trip and all too often saw some elderly family members in wheelchairs who looked like they were absolutely miserable. It was at the end of the day, the children were still running around and someone was pushing the wheelchair with a person who looked like death.

I guess this really hits home for me as I took a trip (out of the country) last year when I was really, really beat. I had walking pneumonia for about 8 months last year. I didn't feel sick, but I had no energy whatsoever.

I was in Italy, and when we would have to get off the bus to go see something I just felt like death would be easier. It would have been so much better off if I had rested some afternoons. But oh no I just kept going with the others. My energy deficit just got bigger every day for two weeks.

It wasn't a lot of walking at all - one of our trip members was a stroke victim, and we had several elderly people. It was just the "being" that was so tiring.

My dad is almost 87. He goes to the mall every morning and meets up with the other older walkers. Some are in their early 90s - they drive and walk. I'm not one who thinks an old person is necessarily bed-ridden, but a lot more rest is required.

OT - but I do have to share my good news. I just got back from a trip to WDW and was on the go (without an ECV this year) for a week. It is great to have my health back. I really appreciate it.

 

[linda108]

We took my 93 year old Grandmother this past October - Going without a wheelchair was not an option, we all know how much walking there is not to mention crowds that are not always tolerant of people who are walking slow. She is still independent as well - lives alone and cooks for herself everynight. She was not sure what to expect and was nervous but once we got there she was great - She keeps saying how nice everyone was to her and how easy it was to see everything. She kept up with us breakfast at 7:00am not in the parks until closing 9:00 all nights but one (she was tired from our early flight the day before). I asked her one night while on the monorail if she wants to come back. She thought for 2 seconds and said maybe in a few months. She went on just about everything accept for the major thrill rides - Her favorites were IASW and Soarin' She also enjoyed being "Queen of the Jungle" on the JC. To make the trip extra special we won dream fast passes in Eport so she got to ride Soarin' twice.

 

[jlw29]

We're back and had a successful trip!!!!

What we ended up doing was getting 2 wheelchairs every day -- one for my mom and one for my grandmother. My dad actually did better walking than sitting. DH even ended up in an ECV for one day at Animal Kingdom after riding triceretops spin and triggering such a case of vertigo he could no longer walk without throwing up!

We saw alot of all the parks, but still missed alot of rides due to the slower pace. DD12 still hasn't forgiven me for not getting to go on Big Thunder Mtn, but I know that we'll have many other WDW trips and this one was about the rest of the family and the older generation couldn't handle it. (Although we got my MOM to go on Rock n Roller coaster AND tower of terror, her back would not have been able to handle the jerks of BTMRR)

I'm looking forward to our next trip just being the 4 of us but this is a trip that gave us wonderful memories that we can always cherish!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Glad that everything worked out for you and the family enjoyed themselves.

 

[SueM in MN]

glad you had fun!