Once in a while, it’s helpful for seniors in an assisted living facility to enjoy a social outing or trip to benefit their overall well-being. Organizing this type of excursion may be a bit different from the usual, but you’ll still need dependable transportation services to take you there. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

How to Plan an Outing for Assisted Living Residents

1. Work With a Reliable Team

Whether you’re coordinating a small- or medium-sized group for an outing, working with a team makes planning easier and yields a better outcome. There are many factors to consider before the trip—from transportation services and packing necessities to proposed activities and weather forecasts. Have a checklist and assign a staff member to each task.

Make sure everyone on the team understands their responsibilities and potential challenges during the trip. If there are changes in the day’s gameplan, inform your team so they’ll know how to adjust accordingly.

2. Understand Your Participants

Before announcing trip details to the residents, make sure you’ve considered their preferences during planning. Don’t assume you know what each resident will prefer.

Not everyone will enjoy doing the same things on the trip—some may find certain activities uninteresting or exhausting. Survey what the seniors would like to do or where to go—after all, it’s their outing, so they should enjoy it the most. 

3. Be Flexible

When planning an outing with the elderly, remember to keep the schedule flexible, as doing so can save you a lot of stress in the long run. There’s always the possibility that things won’t go swimmingly because of an emergency or unforeseen issue.

If necessary, it won’t hurt to cut the trip short, especially if the participants are feeling under the weather—their comfort takes precedence. Also, make sure to include stopovers in the itinerary so they can take breaks and avoid getting tired quickly.

4. Give Them Something to Remember

Most seniors enjoy having a token from the day’s trip, and even a photograph will suffice. Have someone go around and take pictures of the activity as a souvenir. They’ll take pride in showing them to family members, and those residents who didn’t join in may change their minds about next time.

When planning a trip for seniors, finding the best transportation service is essential. For a worry-free assisted living outing, count on MDL Transportation in Aiken, SC, and Charlotte, NC. This non-emergency medical transportation company has piloted all sorts of passengers across North and South Carolina with their team of seasoned drivers since 2009. Call (803) 567-3444 in Aiken or (919) 535-9311 in Charlotte to ask about transportation options. Learn more about the company online.