Advice for my 79 yr old Grandmother with Rosacea

[mareed]

I've searched past threads and can't find this addressed, and I'm hoping for some advice. We are taking an extended family trip which includes my 79 year old Grandmother. She is very active and in pretty good health, but she has Rosacea which is a skin condition which causes extreme redness, itching etc on her face when it flares up. Some triggers include the sun, wind, and cold weather - all of which we expect to encounter on our trip over XMAS. She does wear sunscreen and a wide-brim hat, but she is very concerned about being able to stay with us at the park. We are renting a house off-site so having her go back to the resort in mid-day really isn't an option.

I'm thinking that we shouldn't really have an issue with waiting for most attractions because I think that most queue areas are out of the sun & wind right? I don't think we have a need for a GAC, but please let me know if there is something specific we can ask for which would help her.

I am thinking that she may need a place to rest for a while out of the sun and possibly windy weather during the early afternoon. She would then be able to join us in the late afternoon/evening. She loves to read, so I was thinking of having her take a book along, and wondered if she would be able to hang out in the first-aid area for a while (like a couple of hours). I've never been in one of the first-aid buildings so I have no idea what facilities are available, so please excuse my question if it's totally ridiculous.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice for me? I talked to my grandmother today and she was saying that she may just stay at the house some days and not go to the parks at all, but I really don't want her to do that because she'd be there all alone, and it's just a house, not a resort.

 

[AZKathy]

My DH has rosacea on his nose and we don't do anything special for it other than taking his cream and antibiotics(he takes Tetracycline if a flair up occurs and uses his cream every day) along and use sunscreen and a hat(but, honestly, he does the hat more for his lack of hair!!!!). I would not be horribly concerned about that.

I think a rest time is a good idea just for her age! I can't even get through a day in a park at my age (heck, I am renting an ECV for our stay since I have a back injury for this trip!!!)! I think it is so wonderful that she is going at her age!

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by mareed
I'm thinking that we shouldn't really have an issue with waiting for most attractions because I think that most queue areas are out of the sun & wind right? I don't think we have a need for a GAC, but please let me know if there is something specific we can ask for which would help her.

Most of the queue areas are covered, so they are out of the sun. Most have wide coverings, and depending on how the wind is blowing, you will be also shielded from the wind, since one side of the line is usually against a building. Some queues are completely inside.
As Kathy suggested, an ecv might be something to consider. The disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board has helpful info about that. I don't know what you have for a vehicle, but one DIS poster provided info on transport of an ecv with a car if you rent an ecv from one of the off-site places.

She loves to read, so I was thinking of having her take a book along, and wondered if she would be able to hang out in the first-aid area for a while (like a couple of hours). I've never been in one of the first-aid buildings so I have no idea what facilities are available, so please excuse my question if it's totally ridiculous.

I've been in First Aid in all of the parks and they all have a small seating/waiting area with comfortable chairs. I'm sure they would have no problem with her sitting there, but it's not the best place - a lot of in and out traffic directly in front of you. First Aid would be a good place if she needs to lie down for a while. They will let her use one of the cots in private cubicles in the back.
My suggestion would be to just get a table at one of the counter service restaurants. If you are not there at mealtimes, the place is not that busy and the tables are just empty. Not soft, cushy chairs, but she would be able to get up and walk around, have a bathroom close by and can get a snack easily if she wants. She could even bring a small chair cushion to soften the seat if she wants.
Most of the counter service restaurants have tables that overlook the outdoors, so she could also people watch.
Here are some nice ones I thought of for each park that have large seating areas (some of the ones I have not listed have mostly/all outdoor seating):
MK - Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland; Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland; Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square
Epcot - Electric Umbrella or Fountain View in Future World; Liberty Inn in America in WS
Studio - ABC Commissary (with padded chairs); Backlot Express; Toy Story Pizza Arcade
AK - Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland; Flame Tree Barbecue in the Discovery Island area; Pizzafari in Discovery Island toward Camp Mickey-Minnie; Tusker House in Africa

Walkie Talkies or cell phones would be great to keep in contact since you have already planned to do some splitting up. Just to be aware though not to worry if you can't contact each other at all times. While in rides/attractions, the cell phones/walkie talkies should be off (and they may not work deep inside buildings anyway because of all the metal used for framing in Florida). And there are "dead spots" where you might be out of range, so do check Grandma's before you leave her to make sure she is in a place with reception.

Here's some pixie dust for a great trip.

 

[mareed]

Thank you for your replies. She is really active for a woman her age! She was at Disneyworld with us 1 1/2 years ago and she really managed quite well! Her Rosacea condition is something new though. Apparently the antibiotics she takes for it make her even more sensitive to the sun and that seems to be her main worry.

I think we'll have her bring a book and either take an afteroon break resting in first aid on one of the cots or at one of the counter-service restaurants, which sounds like a great idea. Will they give her much trouble about really just needing to rest for a while on one of the cots in First Aid? You said there are cots in private cubicles... I take it that they are divided by something - either a curtain or a wall?

We will have several cell phones in our group and we will make sure she knows how to use hers and has our phone #'s. She is not really comfortable finding her way around, so we'll probably make sure that one of us escorts her to First Aid or to a restaurant for a break, and then comes back to get her.

Any more tips or ideas?

 

[lc1965]

because i have rosacea as well & can attest to it being a very mild problem, easily ignored. it's mostly just unattractive & sometimes uncomfortable. (sometimes i feel as if my face is made of paper! yuck.) i think you're being suitably cautious about the meds, hat, sunscreen & time out of the sun -- but not to worry. she'll be fine. i doubt it will be necessary for her to spend any time at first aid.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by mareed
Will they give her much trouble about really just needing to rest for a while on one of the cots in First Aid? You said there are cots in private cubicles... I take it that they are divided by something - either a curtain or a wall?
Any more tips or ideas?

I'm certain they won't question it at all because of her age, but even if she was younger, better to rest than to maybe get sick later.
The First Aid in MK is the one I remember the best since we use it a lot of times each trip for the accessible bathroom and for a few times for resting after DD had a seizure. That one has rooms with 3 walls and the "front" of the room is a curatin.
As I remember, Epcot's has privacy walls that don't go all the way to the ceiling and also has curtains. All of the First Aids also have some totally private exam rooms with 4 walls and doors for people who need privacy for doing personal care.

 

[clkelley]

Another suggestion, if she wants to just sit in a more comfy chair for the afternoon, is for your entire group to stop by a nearby resort for lunch.

Near MK
Contemporary
Grand Floridian
Wilderness Lodge
Polynesian

Near Epcot/Studios
Beach Club
Yacht Club
Boardwalk
Swan
Dolphin

Near Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom Lodge

Then, if she didn't feel up to returning to the parks for a couple of hours, she would have a huge list of options for relaxation either indoors or outdoors in comfy chairs in the lounges, lobbies, lakeside, or poolside (although she could not actually use the pool).

Since you are going during the holidays, there are all of the beautiful holiday decorations at the resorts to enjoy!!

Carol

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by clkelley
Another suggestion, if she wants to just sit in a more comfy chair for the afternoon, is for your entire group to stop by a nearby resort for lunch.
Carol

That's a very good suggestion. They all have LOTS fo comfy chairs in the lobby/lounge areas. No one would care at all that she is there since lots of other people are doing the same thing.

 

[mareed]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Since we'll be there XMAS week, I'm concerned that we might not be able to get back into the park with the rest of our group if she left to take a break at one of the resorts. Also, one of us will most likely need to escort her to wherever she'll be and then pick her back up and this seems like it might take a while going to a resort. She's really quite active and gets around very well, but she would get disoriented if she tried to find her way around on her own, so we'll make sure she has one of us escorting her.

Also, I realize that her condition really isn't severe compared to what many people on this board experience, but she seems to be extemely concerned that she will be totally unable to visit the parks with us because of it (mainly due to the sun). It's also a fairly recent condition with her, so I think she's still figuring out how to manage it.