Vacationing with an Elderly Loved One

Many times, caregivers caring for senior citizens avoid travel because of some of the hurdles involved with vacationing. Planning a vacation is overwhelming, let alone taking mobility, medications, and other aspects of caregiving for the elderly into consideration. Here at LTS, we think that with a little extra planning, it’s entirely possible to travel with elderly loved ones!


Plan, plan and plan some more:

Extensively research multiple destinations to determine which one will be the most accessible for your elderly loved one. Once you’ve established a destination, figure out the easiest way to travel there. Take time and accessibility into consideration. Would it be easier to take the train? Trains can be more comfortable and less hectic than an airplane, but the travel time may be a little bit longer. Would driving be the best option? Take all of this into consideration, and take your time to research as much as possible. Lastly, contact the transportation company to see if they have senior discounts and accommodations for senior travelers.


Preparation:

Travelers regularly underestimate the amount of paperwork that is necessary when traveling. Make a list of all of the documents you’ll need before you leave, and cross-reference your list a couple of times on your travel day. You need to take all of these documents into consideration:

Passport
License
Medicare Card
Health Insurance Card
Bank Cards
Credit Cards
Checkbook
Tickets
Vacation Itinerary
Medication List
Doctor’s notes

While packing, create a list of all of the items you want to bring. Once that is complete, look through the list again and classify each item as ‘definitely need,’ ‘maybe need’ and ‘don’t need.’ Re-evaluate your list, and try to eliminate as many superfluous items as possible. Remember, the goal is to pack light and pack only what you need.

Travel Day:

The temperature in trains and planes can be unpredictable, so dress your elderly loved one in layers. Wear comfortable, easy to remove shoes. If traveling by airplane, bring extra plastic bags for your items to expedite the security checkpoint process. Go over your necessary documents list, grab the luggage, take a camera, and have fun!