Headaches? Your Doctor Can Help You More Than You Think

Taking Your Senior Loved One On Vacation This Summer

Are you planning your family vacation for the upcoming summer? Are you considering taking a senior member of the family along with you? If so, there are several things you should consider prior to making any final decisions.

Medical Clearance

Would your loved one's doctor sign off on your senior family member coming on the trip? There are several things that could complicate your loved one's health during a vacation. You have to consider the medication side effects that could cause complications – like increased sun sensitivities.

It is important that you discuss the vacation with your senior family member and his or her doctor. If the doctor signs off on the trip, you may be good to go.

Transportation

How much time will you be spending in a car? Will you be taking a flight anywhere? If the trip requires your loved one to remain seated for a long period of time, invest in a quality pair of support stockings. These stockings will help your loved one remain comfortable during the long trips. They will help decrease leg pain or numbness from remaining in one position for too long.

Try to plan for frequent stops during your travels. Road trips can be very difficult for the elderly. Not only is it hard on the body, but it can be hard to go long periods of time without a restroom break.

If you are planning to fly to your destination, arrange for priority boarding at the airport. If you arrange things ahead of time, the airline can have a wheelchair available for you to use to get your loved one from the door to the plane.

Medical Needs

Plan to have more than enough medication for your loved one for the entire trip plus a few days. You must always plan for the worst case scenario when traveling. You never know when a storm could blow in and prevent you from catching a flight or making the trip home. Because of this, you must be sure that you have adequate amounts of medication and, if need be, oxygen.

Senior Care

Look into senior care services in the area where you will be traveling. If your loved one should not feel well while you are on vacation, you need to have someone that you can turn to for care. Having a senior care service vetted before you travel to the destination can help alleviate some of the stress that can come with such a situation. Contact a company like ComForcare Home Care - Bloomfield Hills, MI for more information.

Your family vacation can be wonderful with your senior loved one. Just take the time to properly plan for the trip and you will find it to be enjoyable, stress-free and safe for everyone.


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