At least they aren't staying with you, right?

What would your ideal be, in terms of their visits? How much time would you spend with them and what would you do?

I get the same way with the dread, and calendaring the visit out calms me down. I create breathing space by adding activities to the calendar that my relatives cannot/will not participate in -- things like going to the gym, hiking, meeting a friend who lives an hour away.

Even if you don't actually do those things, a list of activities your parents can't participate in might be helpful in a pinch