We’ve put together these travel tips for seniors as part of Victorian Seniors Festival – It’s Your Time. For elderly individuals, travelling cross-country or internationally doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow these travel tips that are specifically tailored to seniors and you will notice that your entire travel experience, from start to finish, is less difficult than you imagined.
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Consider Purchasing Travel Insurance
Everyone, regardless of their age, should consider purchasing travel insurance, especially for expensive trips or international holidays. Travel insurance will provide you with a certain level of protection should you be unable to travel or require assistance whilst overseas.
In the event that you are unable to take the trip you planned, you may be able to reschedule your trip or get a full refund, but only if you have travel insurance. This means that if you unexpectedly end up in the hospital or experience a family emergency, you won’t have to deal with the financial burden of paying for a trip that you didn’t go on.
Use Airport Amenities to Get from the Check-in Counter to the Gate
Many airports, like Melbourne Airport, offer services that help get customers from the check-in to their gate. The service typically involves having an individual take you by wheelchair, or motorised cart, through the airport and to the gate. When you land, someone will be waiting for you and will take you through the airport and to the luggage carousel.
This service is a great way to help elderly individuals who may feel intimidated by navigating a huge airport on their own, or who may have mobility issues. Typically, this service is offered by the airline you are using, but they can sometimes be offered by the airport.
Prepare Your Medications
Travelling with medications doesn’t have to be difficult if you follow these tips.
Travel and holidays are fun but accident, injury, illness, car sickness, jet lag or fear of flying can affect your enjoyment. Good medical advice, immunisation and safety precautions can protect your health and safety when travelling.
If you, or your travel companions, consult with your doctor and consider your daily medications, it is important to do the following:
- Talk with your healthcare provider to arrange for extra medication that will help you while you travel
- Get paperwork from your doctor that specifies what medications you take and why
- Make sure all medications are kept in their original bottles or packages. This is necessary for when you are travelling internationally, as customs may confiscate the medications if they are not in their original packages/bottles.
Stay Healthy While Travelling
Travelling can put a lot of stress on your immune system and your body. Luckily, there are things you can do to make sure you stay healthy while travelling.
Some things you can do to stay healthy while travelling include:
- Make sure to walk around the plane while flying, as this will help you to avoid blood clots
- Wash your hands regularly to avoid germs
- Stay hydrated while flying and while travelling. This will help boost your immune system.
- Talk to your doctor about natural ways to boost your immune system, such as taking supplements or extra Vitamin C
Use these Travel Tips for Seniors next time you travel and you will be surprised just how easy and enjoyable it is to travel.
The Victorian Seniors Festival – It’s Your Time, runs for the month of October. Celebrating its 34th year in 2016, the Victorian Seniors Festival sees more than 1500 social, cultural, educational and healthy living activities on offer; mostly free, while some are ticketed or entry by donation, held in metropolitan and regional Victoria, during October. The Festival event calendar provides details of what’s on in your area.
Victorian Seniors Card holders can also enjoy free public transport on metropolitan and regional public transport from Sunday October 2nd-Sunday October 9th, as well as free economy V/Line travel from Monday October 3rd-Sunday October 9th (excluding Friday October 6th). A great way to get to events, and visit friends and family, all around Victoria!