4 Tips to Know When Traveling with a Senior for the Holidays
Traveling is always an adventure, whether you’re doing it at home or abroad. But when planning a trip with an elderly family member, you should be a bit more cautious.
According to one source, 45% of Americans intend to spend an average of $2,586 each on flights or hotels this holiday season. When it comes to your health, comfort, and timing, a little planning will go a long way to ensuring that the money spent is worth it.
Here are four key takeaways that’ll make traveling with a senior more fun and safe for everyone during the busy holiday season.
1. Prepare Ahead
When you’re traveling with a senior, all arrangements should be made prior to heading to the airport or getting into the vehicle for an epic road trip. Elderly people have diverse needs, so thinking ahead and making the necessary adjustments is key.
The first order of business is to sit down and create a checklist of all that’s required:
- Identification and travel documents
- Medications and prescriptions
- Emergency contact information
- Comfy clothing and supportive footwear
- Mobility equipment like walkers or canes
A checklist is vital, whether you’re taking an elderly parent to see family during the holidays or your aging loved one is going on a trip while at a senior living community.
2. Health Topics Must Be Top of Mind
Personal care activities, such as taking medications, can also be more difficult when on the move. You should ensure that all medicines are packed, easy to find, and taken at the right time and proper intervals.
Before a trip, pack all medicines in their original containers, carry a current listing of your prescriptions and dosages as well as your parent’s healthcare contact information, and ensure you have the numbers for any primary healthcare providers.
In a situation where you or your family have a medical issue such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, you’ll need to consult your doctor before making arrangements for your travel. You’ll have to ask about the possibility of altitude sickness or jet lag.
Travel insurance that covers medical benefits is another option to consider — especially if embarking on an international trip.
Finally, you should also ensure that your parent is well hydrated and well rested. Travel days also have a lot of activities that could be exhausting for your parent, so you don’t want to pack your itinerary too much.
3. Prioritize Comfort During the Journey
Comfort is also a factor, and it’s all the more so for senior citizens because of joint pains, circulation problems, or back problems.
When you fly, you should ask to be seated in an aisle seat so that it’ll be easy to access the toilet. Your loved one may also need to wear compression stockings when flying to prevent swelling or blood clots. If going on a road trip, ensure there’s sufficient leg room.
4. Keep a Realistic Itinerary
Overscheduling is a mistake that many travelers make. While you want to make time for eating, partying, giving gifts, and visiting loved ones, elderly visitors will need time to rest. So, be flexible in your plans. Rather than getting involved in a lot of activities one after the other, you should plan a break or a nap in between.
The holiday season is a busy time of year, so you don’t want to roll the dice by failing to plan, since that’ll increase the odds of complications. Traveling with an older loved one means ensuring all your ducks are in a row. But it’s definitely worth it.
A little bit of preparation can ensure that you and your family enjoy some meaningful together time.
