Traveling as we know should never come with restrictions. We envision it as this fun activity that should not have any rules attached to it and rightly so. However, the travel dynamics change as we age and we don’t need to fight this and what we need to do is instead embrace it and look for ways to work around it.
Planning ahead of time can make or break the travel adventures you may have. It will make it because you will be able to know what you need to take into account and factor in ahead of head and in that same accord, it will break it if you realize you needed to plan for something that has to be there but you don’t have it and therefore forcing you to cancel the travel last minute.
To avoid last minute disappointments, we have outlined some tips below that you may want to take into consideration whenever you are traveling with a senior loved one:
Talk to your healthcare provider
This should be your first pit stop. Once you set up an appointment with them you may want to do the following:
- Explain your travel plans and discuss any travel precautions to take.
- Your healthcare provider may ask you to bring your loved one for a check up or take any necessary shots.
- The appointment is also a good opening to ask how the medications should be taken.
- Before the travel have these medications in writing- make a list of all prescriptions and over the counter medications the loved one takes and at what time they should take these medications.
- Keep the pills in their original containers.
- Pack the medications in a carry on bag to avoid loss or damage.
Keep the luggage bag open
Yes! Start packing a few weeks or days earlier. This will ensure that what needs to be packed has been packed . It is even easier if you have a checklist that you tick off as you go!
Arrange for air travel earlier on
This will give you the options to explore which airlines offer senior-friendly packages and be able to make a decision earlier. There are also airlines that cater to individuals with disability and they have policies as it relates to this. All this information is readily available online and all you have to do is make to compare the information at your disposal and make an informed decision.
Travelling is a fun season and there should be no limits like age barring you or your loved one in partaking of this fun. Just remember- proper preparations prevents poor performance or in this case last minute canceled travel.