Travel for Older Adults, or Handicapped people

Travel For Older Adults

I spoke at a luncheon recently at a Senior Center where most of the guests were over 65 and I was impressed at the wonderful attitude of people in their 90’s. If you plan wisely, even on a walker, wheelchair, and in poor health, there is no reason why you shouldn’t travel. So many people have told me, we waited until we retired to travel when we had the funds, but not the health to go anywhere. Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease seem to be often the reason one of the spouses suffered from.

I advised the group on which were the best cruises to look at, and told them about the top ten cruise lines and what the differences are and why I liked “ all inclusive” and what you got for your money. Why you should use a travel agent who can request handicapped rooms, close to lifts, and you must get destinations which can cater to walking difficulties. You should never change planes if you can help it. One gentleman told me that he changed planes three times because it was the cheapest ticket. That is a mistake, causing you stress and making you more tired. There is also a good chance your luggage will get lost or delayed. I always recommend going to your departure point a day or two ahead of time, to make sure you get there and with your luggafe.

I recommend you use a Concierge Service, which means you get taken from home to the airport, checked in with your luggage, then met at the destination and taken to your hotel or the ship. You have no waiting in lines with thousands of travelers, and it is VIP service thru customs. You don’t touch your luggage, and it is stress free. I cannot cope with my husband on a cane, walker or wheelchair, plus two lots of luggage so this is the only way to travel. I use this service all over the world. It is worth paying the fee to make life easier for the caregiver. I have tried to do it all on my own and it is impossible.

Many of the larger ships cannot dock in smaller ports, so you must go by tender or launch into the harbor. It is impossible for many people to get up and down the steps of two moving boats so it means they cant go ashore.

I saw people in Tahiti in tears since they had booked on a ship with no elevators and it meant they couldn’t get go on board in a wheelchair, or walker. The same thing happened to people booking a river cruise, so it is very important to book with someone who knows what to look for and advise you accordingly.

Many of the good companies have excursions based on age and ability to walk. My husband loves the private car and driver. When he has had enough of sight seeing, he says to the driver – back to the ship. If you are on a bus with 54 people, you don’t have that flexibility. You cant walk on cobblestoned streets on a walker.

I shared horror stories with my audience about tales I have heard over the years from people who shared with me what had happened to them. One lady told me she used the computer every day and was shocked to get a $3,500 bill at the end of the cruise. She thought the wi-fi was free. A gentleman told me that his bar bill is usually higher than the cost of the cruise and I told him an all inclusive is definitely the way he should travel.

People don’t realize that using the ship credit card every time they have an ice cream, a coke, a coffee, a martini, beer, can add up to thousands at the end of the cruise. $4.50 for a coffee, and $13.00 for a drink can soon add up. If you are paying the bill for several people, then it can be a real shock.

Many grandparents are giving their family members a Christmas present, of a cruise, or a trip such as a safari, and that kind of trip takes careful planning. One client took a world cruise for 4 months, and had different members of the family join them for a segment of the trip which was less tiring than having a lot of people with them all at once.

For a long plane ride, it is worth getting business class tickets and we can get a good discount on both these and first class tickets.

The most important thing before taking a trip, is to get your medications sorted out. You should have all the pills listed on a sheet, and carry a copy in each of your wallets. Ambulance drivers and doctors are so pleased when you hand them a complete list of all medications if you should have an emergency. I have three weeks pills sorted into each day in two boxes so I don’t get mixed up on what he has to take. Of course, I carry them with me, they don’t go into luggage. Travel Insurance can be expensive when you are older, but it is important to have on any trip.

Take a trip. The caregiver is usually the one who needs the rest.

Maureen Jones

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Avenue

Menlo Park, CA 94025

650-961-2340 Direct