Are we there yet? Traveling As We Age

It’s September or shoulder time, a good time to travel.

Travelling, whether it’s to Disney, the mountains, beach, or visiting friends, there are ways to make it enjoyable, safe and a memorable trip using

features of age friendly/Universal Design (UD).

There are many resources on senior travel or travelling with youngsters.

I have found that travelling with seniors and youngsters is pretty much the same! Many ideas or suggestions will sound very familiar. I have tried to nuance this by using Universal Design and age friendly ideas.

My second Disney trip was with my grandmothers, aged 82 and 95, my parents aged 64 and 65 and my children aged 6 and 9! It was a fantastic visit. We popped my grandmothers in wheelchairs, I pushed one while my husband pushed the other. My parents partnered with one of their grandchildren. Everyone was paired up.

We visited the kiddie section where we could switch out an adult to ride with the youngest family members. Because we had my “grannies” in wheelchairs we jumped the line every time!

We alternated between inside show/rides and outside show/rides. We ate snacks, took bathroom breaks, and stopped right before our youngest member had a melt down.

We matched our activity to each member of our group. We found that the youngest needs were similar to the oldest members needs. When travelling, plan for those who have the most obvious needs, that’s UD!

To start on the adventure, I recommend a rollable cart which is at counter level, like this cart to place the luggage on for ease of packing. My husband used to use the bed as the “place to pack” until I brought this into the bedroom. We can wheel the cart and luggage to wherever we need it. No lifting! Safer and easier. Great UD!

Walking Sticks can be your best friend particularly for outside hiking.

Don’t forget to bring your bikes as there are so many opportunities to ride and stay active. Find a bike carrier where you easily roll the bike on to rather than lifting the bikes up onto it. It may be a bit expensive but so much better for safety and ease with your body.

Think of it as a long term investment in your health.

As you age you are exposed to more fall risks due to not being familiar with a particular area, intermingling with crowds, looking around while touring, navigating harder terrain, like cobblestones or uneven stairs. Or you are taking pictures!‍ ‍

Long bus rides cause more stiffness so you will need to change position more often. Steep steps require you to use the handrails. We have found European buses had much steeper steps.

Telescoping walking sticks, be aware that if flying not all airlines will allow you to carry these on. My got confiscated in Spain so check with your carrier.

No rushing, be mindful, and take your time. Allow down time in your travels. For every two days of activities follow it with one quiet day. Give your muscles and brain time to rest! Travelling is tiring whether young or old!

Train travel is great but it can be harder to get up and move around. If you have balance issues, consider sitting close to restrooms and exits so you are more comfortable and safe.

If in a group, realize you may be slower than the group or vice versa the group may walk at a slower pace than you. Speak up to tour guides to make adjustments. Look for opportunities to peal off and do your thing whether that is more activity or less activity. Be mindful of your group and realistic about your level of fitness. Otherwise taking either a small group or a personal tour may work best for you.‍ ‍

Quick story my cousin was on an Africa gorilla trek. The kind where the guides are using machetes to slash a walking path for you to see the gorillas in the wild. A member of the group was struggling to hike this trail. The tour guide offered a “helicopter” for the lady struggling to get her to the top of the site. Turns out the “helicopter” were two teams of 4 men with a stretcher that carried this lady up the mountain! My sense is she should have been more realistic about her ability particularly when it affects her safety and others.

On cruises you have to be able to safely move to go anywhere. Whether its outside your cabin room for an excursion, using the gang plank, managing ramps, getting to dinner, the doctor, shows or lectures. Be realistic about your needs, particularly cognition and mobility. Make arrangements or find out your options. Safety can be managed well with planning.

My 94 yr old Dad wanted to take a boat ride. Wheelchair and all we made it happen. Took some planning and researching of boats, docks, wheelchair accommodations, bathrooms, lake access etc. The funniest part was us having to time rolling the wheelchair onto the boat with the lake wave! It took 3 of us to do that.

On Father’s Day we took our picnic dinner, saw the stars come out and had a great ride. UD is planning and being flexible!

Ask if you need help! Many companies that cater to seasoned travellers will have amenitites that you can access but you may need to ask. For instance, golf carts which can transport you from one place to the next adventure.

On a recent cruise, I noticed someone had bought a magnet of each country visited, placed it on the outside of their cabin door making for easy identification of their cabin. Great orientation & UD.

Crossing streets can be challenging particularly in cities where there are more bicyclists, trams, trains, buses and cars. Watch before you cross!

Take advantage of “Family restrooms”, they are your best friend. More space and 2 people can be in there comfortably. Handicapped restrooms are available to those with any medical, mobility,aging, cognitive and not so noticeable issues when taking care of personal needs. I have difficulties with just my hands and fingers so a handicapped bathroom helps me immensely.

Try to get a preview of where you are visiting so you know where the bathrooms, taxis, ramp, elevator etc. are located. This applies to airports, train stations, bus stations, tourist attractions, and hotels. Chat gbt can be a great tool in finding out this information. Our daughter found that by using Chatgbt, she figured out how her husband could navigate with a boot and crutches in Italy at the Sistine Chapel and other attractions. Use technology!

Services are available to send luggage ahead so you are not having to deal with it during transfers or changing planes, trains, boats, or ferries. This service can be expensive, however.

When travelling on day trips, carry a small bag with water, medications for aches and pain, snacks, personal hygiene items, sanitizer and wipes. I knew a wise caregiver who always took a large solo cup and disposable gloves when she travelled out with a male companion.

Our small bag is REI ‘s Co-op Flash Air 50 Hiking Backpack which folds up to be the size of your hand.

Briggs and Riley makes this luggage set that the top bag slips easily over the telescoping handle of the bottom bag. I saw many older travelers using these bags in Europe easily and safely with minimal effort.

You can fit at least 4 days of clothes in the bottom bag. This set is their international carry on expandable spinner set with the underseat cabin bag.

Use luggage that is light weight and easy to maneuver. Carrying your luggage whether going up or down stairs or on an escalator can be problematic. Many European hotels, particularly small boutique ones, don’t have elevators so your option will be stairs. By using a more familiar hotel brand, Holiday Inn, Ibis etc, you should find elevators at your disposal.‍ ‍

If you travel by train, be aware some stations don’t have working elevators or escalators. One night we came into Oslo very late it was dark and the escalator was not working. We opted for the stairs but if we had taken a bit more time to familiarize ourselves with the station, we could have found the remote elevator.

In Airports things don’t always work, but more than likely you can ask for a sky cap, tram transportation or wheelchair assistance.‍ ‍Planning in advance for these mobility assistance aids makes it even easier and predictable. My 80 year old friend who travels solo back and forth between Spain and the USA annually, found making arrangements for a wheelchair both ways made her trips more enjoyable, safer and a breeze for her.

When travelling to begin your adventure, ALWAYS ALWAYS carry with you and not as a checked bag, 1 day of extra clothes, 2 underware, all medications and Cpap machines. We found that my husband could use a mouth appliance and not take his Cpap to save space and reduce the weight in his luggage. Be prepared to have what you need for atleast 24-48 hrs in case your luggage gets delayed!

Shoes can be quite the issue. Wear comfortable shoes and you may still find your feet are bothersome. I use a product called “glide” to prevent blisters on my feet. Glide looks like stick deodorant , comes in a small travel size and is easy to apply. I use it liberally on my feet when travelling, nothing like a blister to kill your adventures!

Travel size items like this pink body glide as opposed to the regular blue body glide can help save space even though they may cost more/ounce.

Stock up on travel size items when they are on sale or use your coupons!!

Small things which can make a big difference: bring a small washcloth which can be rinsed and wrung out for wipe downs in hot weather. Bring a hat with a small bill which rolls up to keep the sun off your face but nothing too big that would be hard to stuff into a small back pack.

Travel insurance is something everyone should consider. I have had to cancel travel trips for my parents so many times.

Insuremytrip.com is a web site that brokers trip insurance. Check it out.

There are many online resources that help make travel easier and more accessible. Some offer help with national parks, cruises, or international travel. Others provide tips for flying using wheelchairs or finding accessible places to stay and visit.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab includes groups that support travel for people with disabilities, offering help and resources for domestic and international travel.

Intrepid a company that helps plan accessible tours: guides people regardless of special needs who want to travel and explore by determining what they may need to do that.

Travel and Universal Design(UD) can go hand in hand. UD makes us plan for the next travel trip, for the next phase, allowing for each of us to fully participate in a trip. We can travel at any age, newborn to 90. It’s eerily similar planning for young children and our elderly friends!

Travel really boils down to prepping well, packing the right gadgets and embracing a healthy dose of flexibility. Do all that and your adventure ends up looking almost like what you planned—just with fewer plot twists than reality usually insists on throwing in.

Are we there yet? Happy Travels.