What do you do with elderly parents when they visit?

What island are you on?

Do something “used” to do that she loves so the grand kids can have a memory of their Gmom having a blast. My mom is 2 yrs younger and still plays golf and my kids are blown away that that age is not a limitation but freedom to enjoy life and have fun. Happy birthday to your mom!

My hubby’s parents love to visit. They don’t walk, but they ride their scooters EVERYWHERE. So every and any museum is a candidate. Also scenic rides, crafts with the kids, game night, movie night with popcorn in front of the TV, going out to eat, and every occasion is one for taking pictures. I think we’ve posed in front of every road side attraction from coast to coast. I hate the picture taking, but they love it, and it does provide memories galore.

If my parents were to visit me now, I’d have to re-inter them. Enjoy the visit.

@lilikoi : I’m on the Big Island.

My Mom is 90 and still driving. Take pictures. Quality times with the kids. Zoos? the ocean. The volcano. a feast. Get her stories of life. Movies. share life. and Birthday cake.

I’m nowhere near 79, and I don’t have grandkids yet, but I think that when I’m the one doing the visiting I will treasure quiet, unstructured time the most. I will want to help with and take part in ordinary, everyday activities: fixing meals, playing games, having haircuts, buying shoes, making cookies, reading bedtime stories. A nice outing at a park or some time at the beach would be lovely, but it wouldn’t be about keeping busy. It would be about fitting into your normal lives for a little while so you and they can remember me there in it and I can picture it when I’m away from you.

My family is no longer living but when they were,a great deal of visiting time was spent talking. Being up in years,meant many of their old friends and family were gone and they didn’t have many to talk to. Thru countless conversations,the enjoyment of ‘their’ memories blessed anyone listening. My father spoke of farm living and his escapes in childhood. My mother spoke of depression era living and fondly remembered simple pleasures in everyday life. My mother in law,spoke of being the oldest sibling and hard times on the farm. My mother in law spoke of old Chicago and her friendship with gangsters. I wish we’d had more time. I never got enough.

Keep her satisfied and happy. Maybe you can organize fun activities. Visiting the volcano is a great one, and you can see movies or play board games. But let her now that her being there is really great, and make this a memorable visit for yourselves and the kids. She can help make dinner, take kids out for a walk, or whatever. Let her do what moms like to do, or at least what you would want to do if you visited your nieces and nephews etc.

Water, feed daily and avoid anything controversial.

Picnics in parks always worked for my family. Last summer we took my Mom who is 90 to a redwood forest and it made her week..

There are two botanical gardens, one is somewhere around Pepeekeo or Papaikou, and it is a nice walk. The other is called Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden and it is closer to Kona. I’d like to go to that one, one of these days.

I also really enjoy driving north of Hilo to see the old plantation towns along the Hamakua coast. Laupahoehoe, Paauilo, Honokaa – there are some real neat old houses out there, nice beach parks, and wide open space, which I find very relaxing to take in. Also Honokaa is a pretty neat, funky town.

A day at the beach might be nice, since she’s coming all this ways. Definitely Kona for that…

Perhaps a short stay in one of the massive hotels on the Kona side.

Maybe you can give her the guidebook and let her pick out a few things to see/do while she is visiting.

OK, that’s all I’ve got. :)

Ask her stories about her life, the good stuff like past boyfriends, adventures, regrets, etc, and record them.

Picnics, cook-outs, ask her to make your favorite foods, get her to tell family stories and record them. Take her to brunch somewhere nice.

When I go visit my daughter, I love it when she asks me how to cook something, or has a project for me.

Feed them carbs; they’ll go to bed early.