Summer Travel Tips

By Trisha Menoni –

Learn how to vacation with an aging loved one or feel comfortable having them stay at home.

Summer is finally here and that means BBQs, fireworks, baseball games, and travel. Summer is a great time to get away with your family. And while summer travel can be a fun experience for an aging parent or loved one, especially if that trip is to see grandchildren, seniors may not be as mobile or energetic as they were in years past. Partners in Senior Care has several tips for a successful summer trip with an aging parent or loved one including:

• Obtaining medical clearances from a physician to ensure the trip is realistic and appropriate.

• Gathering necessary paperwork and documents, including insurance cards, medication, physician’s phone number, medical records, etc.

• Choosing the right mode of transportation. For example, most airlines offer priority boarding for senior passengers, as well as onboard wheelchair availability and priority check-in for wheelchairs and mobility devices. Also be sure to allow for longer connection times between flights and arrange for wheelchair transportation between terminals or gates. Better yet: Try for direct flights rather than layovers even if that means spending more money on the ticket. Ideally, trips should be single destinations rather than a series of visits. Train travel is another option. Amtrak provides oxygen equipment. And if driving, rent a car or van that provides plenty of space and accessible features.

• When flying, minimize carry-on luggage but be sure to carry on all medicines with you. Also bring a note from the senior’s doctor regarding all of their medications in case airport security asks to see prescription validation and information.

• Deciding if your budget allows for a professional skilled eldercare aide to travel with you.

• Sticking with the familiar – vacation to familiar places that the senior enjoyed or is accustomed to.

• If the senior has dementia, make sure they are wearing an identification bracelet that cannot be misplaced.

• When going to a special event, such as a wedding or graduation, arrive a day or two before hand to allow rest time before the event.

• Have a contingency plan in place that allows you to leave early if the senior becomes ill, agitated, or wants to go home.

If you are staying at a hotel with an aging parent or loved one, consider these hotel tips:

• Alert the hotel to any special needs for the senior.
• Use room service the night you arrive for your meal to make things easy and less stressful.
• Take nightlights with you for the bedroom and bathroom.

It is important to keep in mind that seniors who exhibit the following behaviors should avoid overnight travel, including:

• Becoming physically or verbally aggressive.
• Becoming confused during or after social outings.
• Awakening at night confused.
• Having poorly managed incontinence.
• Requiring special assistance or equipment with feeding if public dining rooms will be used.
• Resisting or arguing with caregiver’s instructions.
• Wandering or pacing.
• Are easily frightened, confused, or agitated
• Are unable to communicate their needs to others.
• Having unstable medical conditions.

If an aging parent or loved one is not able to travel with you and needs to stay home, many retirement homes offer temporary care. You can help arrange daily home care visits to aid in washing, dressing, and meal preparation such as Partners in Senior Care’s Geriatric Care Retainer Program that lets family members utilize a caregiver on an as-needed basis. This program can also be used if an aging parent or loved one is visiting you.

Trisha Menoni, RN, BSN, CMC, Administrator, is the owner of Partners in Senior Care, an Illinois-based geriatric care management company providing in-home private duty care and care management services for seniors throughout the Chicagoland area. As a senior care expert with a background in nursing, Menoni frequently speaks at national and local conferences on issues regarding quality elder care. For more geriatric care tips and advice, e-mail me atPMenoni@PartnersInSeniorCare.com.