Walking with a cane on excursions
Hello!
My usually quite active 80+ year old mother and I are booked on this trip in just a few weeks. As luck would have it, her back has acted up and she is currently using a cane to walk. She has pain if she walks too long and too far but is fine if she stops and sits for a few minutes and then keeps going. She is trying to get a "shot" before we go to help with the pain, but the reality is that it may not happen in time.
We both realize that there might be some excursions she just cannot do. We will not be one of those travelers who doesn't accept this fact and then ends up holding up an entire group because we are too slow or can't walk for long stretches at a time. That said, has anyone been on this trip and found that there might be ample spots on some of these excursions for her to stop and sit for 5 minutes or is it pretty much walking/stopping/standing for say, 2-3 hours at a stretch with no place or time to sit down for a quick rest?
We are simply trying to get better informed as to what to expect. This is her "bucket list" trip, but we will not hesitatte to cancel it if it appears she will have a lot of difficulty with finding a place to stop and rest for a few minutes on these excursions.
Thanks so much in advance.
Comments
We took a different Tauck Seine River cruise in Apr 2023. My 90+ year old husband did fine, but he cannot walk for long periods of time either. The best advice I can offer is to let the tour directors know your concerns. They strive to ensure every guest can participate, but they cannot provide special one-on-one treatment. I know he stayed on the ship for one excursion and he was fine with that. There were two ladies who stayed behind also and when we returned to the ship the three of them were playing Scrabble and just having a grand time.
Typically, one tour director will ask that those guests who would like a more leisurely walk stay with her/him throughout the tour. They have a knack for taking shortcuts and finding places to rest. Sometimes, however, she might have to sit at an outdoor cafe while the rest of the group explores. Based on our experience, there are always others who will relish the thought of sitting, enjoying a latte and people watch. If your tour includes Monet's Gardens, there are plenty of benches as well as a lovely cafe. Don't pass up the gift shop for quality products reasonably priced.
I hope this helps. I really see no need to cancel but you, of course, need to be the judge of that. My husband did so well that we actually returned to Europe the same year for a holiday market cruise. He was 99.
Beach_Travel1219:
I was on this tour in April of this year. I have to say that since I didn't need to stop and rest during the tour, I didn't really observe if there were places to rest along the various excursions. You may want to reach out to Tauck and perhaps there is a way to be put in touch with a Tour Director to address these concerns.
I think that most of the excursions on this tour are not extremely taxing and provide possible places to rest for a few minutes. However, the two excursions in Paris to the Opera Garnier and The Pantheon involved alot of walking/standing and many staircases. The Opera Garnier tour wasn't terribly long and I believe there were some places to rest in the main public areas. I believe it does have handicap access so hopefully there is an elevator to the 2nd floor. The Pantheon tour was much longer and I have to say that I became quite tired at the end. There were many staircases and you were on your feet for quite awhile. I don't recall if there were benches along the way, it seems like we were constantly on the move. The Pantheon tour could be challenging for your Mom and you may want to sit that one out.
The Chateau des Versailles, while huge, had benches around the estate and gardens to rest a bit as did Monet's Garden. The D-Day sites on Omaha Beach don't involve alot of walking unless you wish to wander. You will walk and stand for about an hour at the American cemetery, but I believe there are places to rest. The pace is slow. There is not that much walking on the Les Andelys area tours. You are seated while listening to the presentation at the Farm visit and you drive up to an overlook for the Chateau Gaillard. At the Gothic Cathedral Notre-Dame in Rouen, you are in a church so plenty of opportunity to sit while the Guide speaks. You will will take a short tour down the main street of Rouen, but you are on your own after the tour, so you can wander at your own pace or walk back to the ship with the guide.
I hope this helps some and that your Mom will be ok to travel.
Thank you both! Definitely helpful information. She is determined so I’m confident we will still go unless things get worse for her. Fingers crossed.
Beach_Travel1219,
If you don't already do this, go online to your airline's website and arrange for a wheelchair to take your mother through security and to the gate. If traveling business class, they will also take you to the lounge and will pick you up and escort you to the gate. Do this for all legs of your trip. Before landing at your destination, remind the flight attendant that you arranged for a wheelchair. She/he will check the roster to confirm. Sadly, our experience with wheelchairs at U.S. airports can be slow, but we have always received fast and efficient service in Europe, especially at Charles de Gaulle Airport. If Tauck arranged your airfare, call them and they will gladly assist you.
All the best to you and your mother. Please consider posting a review after your journey.
Have you thought about getting her one of those canes that folds into a seat? Amazon lists quite a few so it might take some research to get the right one. But it would let her sit and listen to the guide or take breaks as needed. Just a thought.
My husband also has walking issues. Stairs however give him the most trouble. We are just finishing a Great Lakes tour and he doesn’t want to travel any more. However being able to remain on the ship for a half day or so usually helps him. Have you thought of having a private guide meet you and helping ?
Pointe de Hoc may be an issue. Inform/ask your TD. They will be glad to assist.
I haven't been on the tour in question, but I do also have issues with distance and standing. So I have some advice.Granted its unasked for advice, but .... here goes. First especially if it is back problems she might want to consider using treking poles, instead of a cane. My doctor advised this because it helps keep you balanced. With two poles you don't lean one way like you do with a cane. They are easy to get on amazon, and you can buy ones that are collapsible. They are very sturdy. Also depending on the time of year you go, and if there could be rain, she might want to consider rain pants. We've been on several river cruises, and I always bring waterproof rain pants. This way if I need to sit, or lean against something wet, I can without worrying about it. I see someone else mentioned the cane's that have a seat. This are very handy but are difficult to travel with and bulky.
A wheelchair at the airport is a must, trust me, you get through customs a lot quicker and it is so much easier. i can walk, but if there is a lot of distance, it can be a problem. It took me a while to admit I needed the wheelchair at the airport but my traveling companions are very happy I did.
Sorry about the unasked for advice but..... I hope it helps
Speaking from an experience I had with my mother, I would not recommend the portable seat. In good faith, a neighbor had given one to my mother and she promptly fell off it. Thankfully she was okay and did not break anything. They are bulky, heavy and cumbersome and, in my opinion, are not sturdy enough. I'm sure they probably have made advances since then, but I still wouldn't trust them. You might try renting one from a medical supply house first and test it out. Good luck to you.
We have a guy with a walking seat on our tour right now, it’s a great design and is not cumbersome at all.
As far as trekking poles are concerned, if you find you are behind someone using them, steer well clear, people using them forget that they extend a ways behind them in use and its easy to trip someone up with them. They also have to be the correct length for you, they should be in position so that your elbow joint is at right angle in use.
Thanks, everyone! We are going...she says she will be fine. I find reading others trip reports quite helpful so I will do the same and write one during or after the trip.
All the best to you. Have a marvelous time!