Bookmarking. That apartment in Florence looks delicious. Quick check showed $240/night.

Perhaps splurging on a driver to take your family through some of Tuscany would work. A day trip from Florence or ?
I found this website which might be a place to start: https://www.toursbyroberto.com.

You've given me a lot of great information to think about, Seamus. Thank you! I'm going to check out all of the links you so kindly provided and try pointing out the perks you mentioned. That didn't occur to me, but it's genius! We'll definitely have to split up "the boys and girls" at times. The less we have to do that, though, the better, because in this group, "the boys" are the ones with a sense of direction! ha ha

You're so right, Traveler_Nick. That makes a lot of sense.

Susan P- I'm going to look up all of the things you mentioned. Thank you for the great suggestions!

More that she associates them with being crowded and uncomfortable, Nonconformist2. It may not be a logical assumption in a lot of places, but she's firm about it. We may have to insist from time to time.

Thanks for the suggestions, Dreamon. I'm not familiar with any of those cities, so I'm eager to learn more. It's nice to get guidance from Fodors folks so I know where I can begin. It's always a little overwhelming at first, isn't it? :)

FTOttawa
I think minibuses could be great. Likely to have AI and you don't have to worry about finding a seat!

Janisk, I know EXACTLY what you mean! For us, it's just part of the travel routine to wash stuff and hang them to dry in the bathroom, but I'm regularly reminded that this is not "vacation-y" for some people. To each their own, right?

Hi julies,
You're right that driving would be ideal, but the fact is that even at home, we don't drive much (we live in a very walkable area with lots of public transportation. We own one car for the two of us and we rarely drive very far or to unfamiliar places). Driving is just too stressful to do on a vacation (especially in places where they drive on the other side of the road), so we avoid it. A driver might be necessary, but we'll try to keep that to a minimum. Taxis are definitely a possibility, too.
A rural area and a foldable cane might be our best bet. I'll look more into options and I'm definitely going to keep pushing for a mobility device of some sort!

That's a very creative solution, AJPeabody. I like it! We live near a big city that she really enjoys. She hasn't paid a visit in awhile, so it might be eye opening for her to see that it's gotten more difficult for her to explore than it used to be. I'll be sure to invite her for a day trip soon... I'm going to keep pushing the walking stick/pole/cane/walker options incessantly. She's stubborn, but so am I!

2Aquilas, I'm posting before reading what others have written so forgive any duplication.

Does anyone have any advice for keeping them comfortable and happy? Take extra money for taxis! The tram system in Rome is great. If you choose larger towns, you're more likely to find hotels with the amenities they need. Limit the amount of moves as much as possible. Suspend your DIY attitude and look for guided tours.

(also: what do folks do about laundry if they don't wash in sinks and laundromats like my husband and I do???) Take extra money for hotel laundry service! Hotel folks did send us to outside laundry services and they were cheaper.

​​​​​​​Kudos to you for making this doable for your folks.

Just a thought...be careful when booking tours. They are often not at all suitable for someone with mobility issues. Some might be fine, but others require a lot of walking, and if you're with a group, you have to keep up with the group and can't necessarily stop for a rest when you need to.

Perhaps I’ve had my head in the sand but have realised that it is Jubilee next year in Rome, apparently a major Catholic event with huge visitor numbers expected.

I wouldn't worry about the Jubilee in Rome. The activities will be focused on the Vatican, and spread out over the course of the year. Probably more than half the visitors will be day trippers from Italian parishes. The last Jubilee was in 2000, and the number of visitors was well short of predictions. There will be a few major events, but even those will mostly affect the Vatican.

Here is the English language version of rail station services for mobility-impaired (and vision-impaired) people.

https://www.rfi.it/en/about-us/Visio...-mobility.html

The major stations have special offices (Sale Blu) for these services, but in smaller stations there may be services available as well. In Tuscany there is a Sala Blu in Florence. I'll try to find information about contacting them or getting information about services in smaller stations.

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With the sole exception of the mix up in Florence, Sala Blu provided excellent assistance. https://www.rfi.it/en/for-persons-wi.../sala-blu.html

Oh wow. I didn't know that dreamon. That DEFINITELY changes some things. Perhaps the crowds won't be too bad if we fly into Milan?

Many thanks bvlenci!

2Aquilas, bvlenci would know far more about the Jubilee than I. She lives in Italy and I would rely on her information far more than what I’ve gleaned from a quick internet search. Apparently work is afoot in Rome this year in preparation for next year. This isn’t something I know much about but thought to mention it so you’re aware.