Seven things to do with your elderly parents in Oxfordshire

Historic yet with a modern outlook, Oxfordshire nestles in the heart of England, with lots of attractions nearby that are perfect for enjoying a day out with your older relatives. If your parents are receiving live-in care in Oxfordshire and fancy a change of scene, it's worth having a few options ready.

Here are seven ideas for a day out with your parents in Oxfordshire, plus practical tips on accessibility and planning ahead.

1. Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Home to an internationally renowned collection of over seven million specimens, including the Oxford dodo, this museum is a good pick for anyone with an interest in the natural world.

Two manual wheelchairs are available to borrow from staff, along with foldable stools, and a passenger lift connects the Lower Ground, Ground and First Floors, though it isn't large enough for a wheelchair to turn within it. See the museum's access guide before you go.

2. Oxford Botanic Garden

The oldest botanical garden in the UK, home to over 5,000 species of plant across glasshouses, walled gardens and ornamental displays, this is a relaxed spot for all visitors, including those with disabilities and their carers or family. The garden is fully wheelchair accessible throughout.

3. Waterperry Gardens

Close to Oxford, Waterperry Gardens is an eight-acre site of ornamental gardens, plus a tea shop, garden shop and gallery.

Most paths are flat, gravel-surfaced and wide enough for wheelchairs, and push wheelchairs and motorised scooters can be borrowed free of charge if booked ahead by calling 01844 339226. All buildings are accessible, though the riverside walk can become difficult in wet weather. See Waterperry Garden's accessibility page for full detail.

4. Blenheim Palace

Home to the Marlborough family for the past 300 years, Blenheim Palace is a fascinating day out for anyone with an interest in history, and a good choice for those living with dementia given its long, layered story.

Wheelchairs and single-person mobility scooters can be hired from the Access Desk if booked at least 24 hours ahead, and a lift serves the Palace state rooms, though scooters can't be taken inside the Palace itself. See accessibility at Blenheim Palace before you go.

5. Cotswold Wildlife Park

Slightly further afield, Cotswold Wildlife Park is home to over 250 species of birds and animals, making it a good option if your relative enjoys being out in nature.

The park is around 99% wheelchair and pushchair friendly, with wheelchairs and mobility scooters available to hire, subject to availability and a returnable deposit. Call the Gift Shop on 01993 825716 ahead of booking to check availability. See the Cotswold Wildlife Park's accessibility page for full detail.

6. Thame Museum

Located centrally in Thame, this small museum takes visitors through the history of the local area, with exhibits spanning Elizabethan wall paintings to Civil War memorabilia, plus an oral history database that can be a good way to start a conversation with your loved one about times past.

The whole museum is fully accessible to non-motorised wheelchair users, and there's an adapted toilet on site.

7. Rousham Gardens

Designed by William Kent in the early 1700s and largely unchanged since, Rousham's landscaped gardens offer a peaceful, sensory setting, with fragrant herbaceous borders and a herd of longhorn cattle.

Access is only partial: the top area is mostly flat but has some short, steep inclines, and the walk around the whole garden covers roughly a mile of gravel paths, grass, slopes and uneven stretches. It's worth calling ahead on 01869 347110 to discuss your specific needs before visiting.

Did you know?

• Oxford Botanic Garden is fully wheelchair accessible throughout its 5,000-plus plant species.
• Waterperry Gardens lends out push wheelchairs and a motorised scooter completely free of charge.
• Blenheim Palace offers a wheelchair transfer for anyone who needs to leave a mobility scooter outside the Palace itself.
• Blenheim Palace also hosts a monthly Dementia Oxfordshire social group, giving people living with dementia a regular chance to get outside and connect with others in a familiar setting.

Personalised dementia care: Jill's story

A short stay in a care home left Jill's mum Peggy, who has dementia, feeling confused and bewildered. The family chose live-in care instead, so Peggy could stay surrounded by her own things at home.

"It's her own things, her own furniture, and that really helps her to remember," Jill says. "She seems so much more settled and happy."

Read Jill's full story

Don't forget about arranging care for the day

Even if your parents or another loved one has additional needs, such as difficulty walking or memory problems, a great day out in Oxfordshire is still very much possible. If they normally have live-in care in Oxfordshire or another home care arrangement, it's often worth bringing their regular carer along, since they already know your parent's needs and routine.

Alternatively, a day out could be a good moment for your usual carer to take a short break, with temporary respite care arranged to cover the gap.

Oxford's city centre can get busy, especially at weekends and during university term time, so a weekday visit often makes for a calmer day if your loved one prefers to avoid crowds.

If your loved one needs specialist dementia care, it's worth booking ahead where you can and keeping the day unhurried, so there's less pressure if plans need to change.

Exploring beyond Oxfordshire?

We've put together similar guides for other days out with your parents closer to home:

• Things to do with your older loved ones in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire
• Things to do with your older loved ones in Kingston
• Things to do with your older loved ones in Surrey
• Things to do with your older loved ones in St Albans, Hertfordshire

If you have a loved one who needs 24/7 support, get in touch with our care advisors to talk through your situation and arrange a free care appraisal. Elder can arrange live-in care in Oxfordshire and the rest of Great Britain.