Holiday for Elderly Single Lady (Partially Deaf)

[Genie123]

Dear All,

Firstly my apologies if this has been or should be posted elsewhere (in which case please let me know). I have a problem which I suspect is not uncommon - but maybe not...

My mother is in her eighties, quite fit and with all her faculties apart from one - she's going deaf. Since my father died she's been coping on her own as well as can be expected. Both she and I feel it would be good for her to have a holiday - change of scene and so on. She has the resources to do this but we're struggling to find an appropriate provider - can anyone help?

She could of course travel with my partner and I but she doesn't want to impinge on us (and has rather different tastes). She's into culture -
art, history and so on. This could also be a way to make her feel a sense of independence - maybe even meet new people.

So - my question is... Can anyone advice of an organisation providing holidays for single travellers in my mother's position? I've found various organisations that provide for elderly travellers (although seems to be mainly a bit younger - eg over 60s). I've found organisations for the deaf - although seems mainly for people who know sign language. My mother only started going deaf ~10 years ago and doesn't. The deafness by the way is really a problem when meeting new people. She can communicate reasonably when one on one in a non-echoing environment. In public, somewhere noisy, it's very difficult for her. But I haven't yet found something that would work for her.

I'd have thought there would be a significant number of elderly people, recently hard of hearing, but otherwise healthy, who need catering for? BTW if anyone has any advice for non-holiday provision I'd similarly be very grateful to hear about it. There are numerous activities she would like to do - is physically quite able to do but can't because of the deafness. Eg a simple tour of a visitor attraction in the UK.

Very much obliged for any advice / suggestions...

In all honesty it sounds like your Mother needs a companion with her due to her difficulties and not being able to sign.

There are multiple places she could visit but without being able to hear well, she's always going to be at a disadvantage when alone.

Saying that, most larger museums and even smaller ones do offer a hearing loop for tours.

A hearing disability alone is not enough to arrange specialist tours other than those you've already found for the deaf...so it would seem that the problem is not a lack of holidays but your Mum's inability to sign.

That said, a nice break somewhere pretty in the UK, close to plenty of historical places of interst would be perfect but perhaps with you in attendance.

Just Go are great. Pick ups all over the place. (Do they do a mass swap of pensioners at some motorway service station?!) Very kind drivers. Plenty of single people. They count people on and off the bus. Trips to places like Hampton Court flower show, as well as out of season holiday holiday hotels with large breakfast buffets. Actually it is a good way to get around the country when you are too old to take trains on your own. So my mum booked a trip to near where she grew up, and then skiped the tours but instead visited her old friends etc.

My mother (newly widowed with a failing memory and in her early 80s) also used to enjoy National Trust Holidays.

Or perhaps a cruise, if you can find a group to book with. Fred Olsen do quite a lot of cruises around the British lsles on smller boats, which get round the need to qualify for travel insurance, and tend not to cater for children. Or Saga? Difficult completely on your own, but if you book with a group, they will have reserved dinner seating, and perhaps the standard trips during the day. Or specialist activities depending on the group (bird watching, knitting - Shetland, Faroes etc -, there are even Archers groups where you get talks about the making of the programme.) The cruise company might be able to give you some ideas.

My mum did endless coach trips around the Uk after my dad died.
Basically a 5 day drive through the Pennines or the lakes or the highlands, with dinner B&b in places like Buxton or Edinburgh. It worked well, supported her semi-independence, and prices were all inclusive, so no nasty surprises.
She did a lot of WI day trips too, where the younger members helped the older ones.

Dear All,

Sorry for not replying before - I only just got the alert.

Thanks so much to CheapSausagesandSpam, NeedMoreSleep and Kinsclerelass - this is really useful advice! I will be checking all of these out.

Is she a member of a local church or WA sometimes these types of groups do trips.

DP's have gone on Parish trips before.