Tips For Traveling With The Elderly
Everyone enjoys a vacation from time to time. When you decide to travel with elderly companions, there are some factors you might consider to make everyone’s time on the go as enjoyable as possible.
1. Choose Comfortable Transport
While you are likely to consider the hotel’s comfort in your planning, have you thought about how suitable the transport is? You don’t want to step onto a plane only to realize the seats are far too small and your elderly companions are uncomfortable for the entire journey – especially if it’s a long one! When booking transport to your location, make sure the seats will accommodate everyone in your group, whether that’s in a car, boat, or plane. If anyone in your party has medical issues and you’re worried about the journey, using flights for medical patients will ensure they reach their destination safely and comfortably.
2. Choose A Family-Friendly Location
While you might be a cultured traveler who loves exploring lands undiscovered by tourists, you should prioritize ease when traveling with seniors. To make sure everywhere is accessible, choose family-friendly locations for your destinations. If you want a little extra luxury on your vacation, consider going on a family-friendly cruise. Not only are they great for seniors, but they also provide beautiful views, great entertainment, and multiple destinations.
3. Collect Documents For The Group
To make things easier, gather everyone’s important travel or medical documents together before you set off and keep them all in one place together.
4. Invite A Larger Group
Your elderly companions probably don’t want to go mountain trekking and ziplining, no matter how much of an adrenaline junkie you are. If you feel you might like to do more strenuous activities on your own and don’t want to abandon your senior companions entirely, consider inviting more people on your trip with a mix of interests and activity levels. You’ll make even more memories with people you enjoy! If a member of your group experiences special medical needs, consider inviting a medical specialist along, such as a respiratory therapist for a traveler with breathing challenges, to make the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible.
5. Pick A Quality Hotel
Traveling with seniors is not the right time to choose budget hotels or cheap hostels. Go for the comfort and prioritize spending money on a quality hotel to make sure their vacation isn’t spent sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress for six nights! Be sure to check the reviews before booking.
6. Don’t Travel Too Far
You don’t even have to leave the states to enjoy a great getaway –— just have a look around for beautiful destinations in the USA. Why spend upwards of ten hours on a flight overseas!?
7. Book In Advance
By booking everything in advance and knowing what you’re doing each day, you can rest easy on the run-up to the vacation. Plus, it saves wasted time trying to decide what to do next when you should be enjoying your vacation! Just remember to involve everyone going on the trip in the planning.
Most importantly, make sure everyone has a great time. So, pick a great destination, travel safely, and make memories to last a lifetime!
Delicia Warren is a freelance writer who is passionate about the environment and the impact humans are having on the world around us. She’s an advocate of holistic approaches to life’s issues, including alternative medicines, as well as having an interest in helping individuals make small changes to their lifestyles to minimize their carbon footprint.
