Travel can be the best and the worst of worlds for the elderly: while enjoying new experiences and places can invigorate and rejuvenate, it can also be exhausting and stressful for your senior home care patient. By planning ahead you can alleviate much of the stress, allowing an enjoyable adventure for all. The most important point to remember is to make your parent part of the planning stages so they feel empowered and part of the process. * Itemize all health care providers, pharmacies, and emergency contacts. List their phone numbers and emergency numbers; put a copy in your wallet and another in your parent’s wallet. * Contact your parent’s health care provider and explain that you are in charge of senior home care. Ask if there are any special recommendations for your planned trip, such as a pre-travel checkup or compression stockings to improve circulation while sitting for extended periods. * Make a list of things to do in advance of your trip, such as checking handicapped access at focal points of your trip, ordering extra medications and medical supplies, and mapping out rest areas and other stopping points if traveling by car. Keep in mind that elderly persons should walk and stretch every couple of hours in order to keep their circulation healthy, and add enough time to the trip so they don’t feel they are being a burden. * Compile a second list of things to pack, such as daily needs, bathing aids, special foods and snacks, and other comfort items for your senior care needs. Jot down additional items as you think of them, and cross items off as they are gathered. * Set up a staging area a week or two in advance of your trip. Post a copy of your packing list at the staging area and cross off items as they are accumulated. * Help your senior care patient choose appropriate clothing for the trip. Keep in mind that loose, comfortable clothes will be less binding during travel, and make sure to pack according to the destination temperature. * If your parent is ambulatory consider packing a collapsible cane or a folding walker in case they overtire or there is unexpected distance to walk. * Pack all medications, snacks, books, and other comfort items in a tote bag that will fit on the seat or floor of the car so your parent has easy access to the items during the trip. * Keep in mind that the elderly dehydrate quickly. Place a case of water in the truck of the car, and have a water bottle handy so your parent can sip regularly during each stage of the trip. * Remember that those in senior home care often have incontinence, and traveling may aggravate the problem. Absorbent pads or underpants can offer them reassurance that they will not be embarrassed in their time of need. By planning ahead, making lists, and gathering needed items in a staging area before your trip you can rest assured that your parent will enjoy the vacation as much as the rest of the family, and you will all come home with memories that will last forever.
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