Umrah with elderly parents guide: distance, wheelchairs and a rest plan

What should you pay attention to when going on Umrah with elderly parents?

When going on Umrah with elderly parents, the issues that need the most attention are keeping track of chronic medication, adapting to the change in climate, choosing a hotel with no uphill walk, and slowing down the pace of worship. Getting a doctor’s approval before the trip, preparing medication with spares, and not staying long in the mosque courtyards during the hottest hours of the day protect your parents’ health.

Things to keep in mind before setting off with elderly parents:

• Doctor’s approval and medication routine: Regularly used blood pressure, diabetes or heart medication should be taken with you, with spares, in the original boxes and together with the prescriptions.
• Health insurance coverage: The emergency cover of the compulsory health insurance defined during the visa application should be checked, and emergency hospital details should be saved.
• Balance of heat and air conditioning: Elderly bodies are sensitive to sudden temperature changes. It is best to rest in the hotel during the excessively hot hours of the day and plan worship for the cool of the morning or the evening hours.

How is a wheelchair obtained for the elderly on Umrah?

Obtaining a wheelchair for the elderly is quite easy at the Masjid al-Haram and the Prophet’s Mosque. Free manual wheelchairs can be taken from the staff at the courtyard entrances, and in the areas on the upper floors of the Masjid al-Haram you can complete your worship without strain by renting a two-seater electric vehicle (scooter) or the service of an authorised attendant who pushes the wheelchair.

Wheelchair options:

• Free manual wheelchairs: Can be obtained from the staff at the mosque entrances. If you will be pushing it yourself, preferring lightweight models makes your walk easier.
• Electric vehicles (scooters): From the electric vehicle rental areas on the upper floors of the Masjid al-Haram, you can take a two-seater scooter and complete your tawaf and sa’y under your own control.
• Official wheelchair attendants: You can use the service of the wheelchair attendants officially working within the mosque for a fee.

How should you choose a hotel near the Haram for the elderly?

When choosing a hotel near the Haram for elderly parents, you should look not only at the distance in metres but also at whether the road has no uphill walk, whether the walking route is unobstructed, and the lift capacity. A hotel with a direct level connection to the mosque courtyard makes it much easier to return to the room and rest between acts of worship.

Criteria to consider when choosing a hotel:

• No uphill walk and level access: The slopes in Makkah’s geography seriously tire the elderly on the way back. Hotels on level ground should be the priority.
• Lift capacity: In tall hotels, lift queues after prayers can take a long time. Hotels with fewer floors or a large number of lifts should be preferred.

How do elderly people who have difficulty walking perform tawaf and sa’y?

Elderly people who have difficulty walking or who have a chronic condition can perform tawaf and sa’y using a wheelchair or an electric scooter. Since the principle in Islamic jurisprudence is that acts of worship should not cause hardship, you can perform your worship together with your parent without tiring on the special wheelchair lanes on the upper floors of the Masjid al-Haram.

Fiqh and practical conveniences:

• Concession and ease: Islam has given full concession to elderly people and those who have difficulty walking to perform tawaf and sa’y on a mount or in a wheelchair.
• Rest between tawaf and sa’y: Instead of going to the sa’y area straight after finishing the tawaf, drinking Zamzam and sitting to rest for 15-20 minutes helps keep your parent’s blood sugar and blood pressure in balance.

Plan your Umrah with your own calendar

Making every moment you spend in the holy lands with your mother or father a calm one begins with staying away from the rush of crowded groups. You don’t have to try to catch coach departure times or transfer from distant hotels with shuttle services.

With Zair, you choose for yourself your outbound and return dates, your hotel near the Haram with no uphill walk and your Madinah-Makkah high-speed train tickets, according to your parents’ stamina. You share spiritual moments with your parents, and Zair keeps track of the operational processes.