Travel Tips For the Over 50 Jet Set
For many people, the allure of travel never wears off. Be it a young person's first trip to a foreign land or an older couple's return to the place they spent their honeymoon, recreational travel remains a favorite hobby of people of all ages.
Though travel appeals to people of all ages, it differs for people of all ages as well. The carefree "pack a bag and go" attitude shared by many a young traveler is not prudent for older travelers, who must take several safety precautions when traveling to ensure the trip will be safe as well as enjoyable. The American Geriatric Society's Foundation for Health in Aging offers the following travel tips to older adults who still love the adventure of travel.
* Talk to your doctor in advance. If you have already made travel plans, consult your physician, who may suggest a full checkup, before your trip begins. Explain any travel plans, particularly which cities or countries you plan to visit and what your travel itinerary is. Different locales call for different precautionary measures, and your doctor can discuss with you specific measures to take depending on where you will be going. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists various required and recommended vaccines based on certain travel destinations. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/travel.
When speaking with your doctor, it's also best to ask when to take medications. While this is less of a concern for travelers who are staying within their own time zones, it's important for travelers changing time zones to learn if they should stick to their home-time-zone schedule or adapt it to the time zone they'll be visiting. Even travelers who are staying within their time zone should ask their physician if it's best to take certain medications before or after a flight.
* Pack all necessary medications in your carry-on bag. Most travelers have their own horror stories about losing checked baggage. For older men and women on medication, this can be especially troubling if their medications are packed in bags that were checked. When traveling, make sure all medications are in your carry-on bag to avoid losing medication while away from home.
* Make a list. Before leaving home, make a list with your physician's help and carry it with you at all times. This list should include:
- any existing medical conditions
- current treatment for those medical conditions, including the names of any medications you are on, the doses and how these medications are administered
- the amount of the drug you need to take on the trip (this will be important should any medications be lost or damaged while traveling)
* Take steps to avoid deep-vein thrombosis. Deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when blood clots form in the veins. This typically takes place in the legs because of a lack of blood flow. Older adults are at risk of DVT when traveling because traveling often requires sitting in one place, such as on an airplane or train, for long periods of time. Research has indicated that compression stockings are effective at preventing DVT, and older travelers might want to consider such stockings, particularly if their travels require a long flight, drive or train ride.
* Don't transfer pills to new containers. Veteran travelers know getting through Customs is no joy ride. It's even less enjoyable for men and women who must take prescription medications with them. To make your trip through Customs as stress-free as possible, keep all medications in their original containers.
To learn more about traveling safely, visit the American Geriatrics Society at www.americangeriatrics.org. TF114670
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