4 Handy Tips for Elderly Travelers
One of retirement’s greatest benefits is the freedom to travel whenever you want. While your schedule might be wide open, sometimes your body doesn’t have the same desire to board a long flight or cram into the car for hours on end.
With a little bit of planning and the right accessories, you can make that dream trip a reality. Age doesn’t have to hold you back, and these four tips can help you go where you want to go and see what you want to see.
1. Know Your Accommodations
When picking your destination, It’s important to know more than just where the best restaurants and beaches are. To give yourself peace of mind while you travel, you should also know where hospitals and senior care centers are located. Talking with a travel agent can help you sort through these details, or a simple internet search might give you all the information you need. Once you know where you can get care—should you need it—it will be much easier to go out and enjoy yourself.
2. Pack Smart
Your suitcase should be full of necessities, but it can’t be too full. You don’t need clothes for every type of climate, just the one you’re set to visit. You also don’t need big bottles of all your medications. Get the right number of pills in a Weekly Pill Organizer and your bag will weigh less while you spend less time hunting around for what you need.
Before you start packing, make a checklist of everything you need. The more time you spend preparing to pack, the faster the process will be and the slimmer your chances of forgetting something important like your passport.
3. Prepare to Walk
Even if you’re headed to a tropical beach and plan to spend your entire vacation in a hammock, you’re sure to get a lot of steps in along the way. Make sure your shoes are comfy and have the necessary inserts. An RMS Folding Cane is an excellent thing to have on a trip so you can pack it away on your flight or in the rental car. Light clothes that keep you from overheating will be essential on your travel days.
It’s important to plan a trip that takes your physical needs into account. It’s also a good idea to expect a little extra walking when you head to a new place.
4. Allow for Recovery
As much as you might want to hit the ground running and go see the sights, a long day of flying or driving can really take it out of you. This is especially true if you’re bouncing between time zones and need to let your internal clock adjust to losing or gaining hours.
On either end of your trip, you should keep your itinerary limited so you can rest up. You should also make sure to drink plenty of water after a plane ride, as those flights will dehydrate you in a hurry. Once you’ve had a day to recuperate, you should be ready for whatever exciting outings you have planned.
You’ve earned this free time and you should take advantage. Get the supplies you need and start planning a trip that will have you feeling young again!