People like to travel because it’s enjoyable and relaxing, but unfortunately that’s not always the case for everyone. Older travelers might especially feel anxious if things don’t go as planned, which is why finding ways to reduce travel stress for the elderly is so important.
These senior stress reduction tips are designed for traveling seniors or their loved ones who plan to travel with them or help with travel arrangements. Keep in mind that in addition to these tips, it’s also possible to get air travel assistance for seniors through non-emergency medical transport companies such as Flying Angels. Age, illness or disability should not become a barrier that prevents people from enjoying travel.
For those looking to improve air travel for seniors, it’s helpful to break down each trip into three main sections. As you start to consider all the details of reducing travel stress for elderly travelers, these provide some guidance.
Before the Trip
Most of the work that result in reduced stress on a trip happens before you ever leave the house.
Consider delaying a trip if the travelers recently experienced an emotionally or physically taxing event, such as a death, divorce or major medical procedure. Those type of events can cause stress for travelers.
If the seniors involved have chronic medical conditions, ensure they consult with their physician before their trip and get medical clearance to travel.
Set up transportation to the airport from home and from the airport to the final destination (usually a hotel) before leaving home.
Call ahead to both airports and arrange any assistance you need getting from check in, through security and to the gate.
Use Google maps to become familiar with your destination. Knowing your way around will reduce stress once you arrive.
Book non-stop flights even if it costs a bit more. Changing planes and making your way through a third airport is a surefire way to increase travel stress
Keep these tips in mind to help improve air travel for seniors.
Pack the night before and have everything ready so you can leave and get to the airport early (a rule of thumb is to arrive about two hours before your plane departs). It’s much easier to wait comfortably at the gate than rush through a crowd.
If seniors are traveling without companions, start a routine from the first day where they check in with family members via text or phone call.
Bring something to read. An underrated way to cut out the noise and confusion around you – and avoid talking to strangers if you don’t want to – is to bring a good book or magazine, whatever you prefer to read. Time will fly by faster and reading helps people relax.
Pack all medications and important items in a carry-on bag. Don’t put them in checked baggage and run the risk of the airlines sending them somewhere else (a rare occurrence, but it happens).
Get a seat on the plane that allows for easy access to the bathroom. Board early if necessary.
Talk time to stretch your legs and walk a bit before boarding. Physical activity can help people feel more relaxed.
The destination is the reason people travel. However, a new city or unfamiliar country can cause stress, especially for seniors accustomed to their home routine. Once they are at their destination, these tips can help.
Start a vacation routine. Make time to simply sit and enjoy the day, read, or take a walk. Find a good place to have breakfast each day that is comfortable and relaxed.
Make a set time each day to contact loved ones and talk to them, letting them know how you are doing and what you’ve experienced.
Wear comfortable clothes and don’t overdo it. Dress to be active but plan each day with only enough “things to do” that you can easily accomplish. Vacation is not a time to “push yourself.”
Once back at home, it’s also important to not schedule too many activities for the first few days. Allow yourself some time to rest up after your trip is over.
It’s possible to reduce travel stress for the elderly if you take it seriously and plan ahead. These tips give you a good place to start and a better chance of having a relaxing, enjoyable travel experience.
It’s possible to fly with a traumatic spinal cord injury. However, doing so requires careful planning, consultation with a doctor, and knowing the rights of disables travelers. Traveling with a flight nurse can also provide peace of mind that all travel and medical needs are met.
If planned properly, flying with a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is safe and enjoyable. It also can boost the mental health of an injured person who reaps the benefits of seeing new places and helps them realize that life does go on, even after a catastrophic injury.
Before making the decision to fly, it’s important for those with an SCI to understand the proper steps to take to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls of traveling with an injury. Just like when people fly after a traumatic brain injury, preparation is key in flying with SCI.
Traumatic spinal cord injury, typically abbreviated as SCI, involves damage to any part of the spinal cord or the nerves at the end of the spinal canal. An SCI can cause changes in sensation, strength and other body functions below the site of the injury. These changes may be permanent or temporary depending on the extent of the damage.
Common causes of SCI include car accidents, falls, injuries during sports or recreation activities, and diseases such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and inflammation of the spinal cord.
Those who experience SCI will feel the impact not only in their physical health, but also emotionally and socially. Every year, scientists make more progress toward one day finding a way to repair spinal cord injuries. However, as reported by the Mayo Clinic, “In the meantime, treatments and rehabilitation allow many people with spinal cord injuries to lead productive, independent lives.”
For those who feel like they are able, travel also becomes an option.
SCI FAQ and Tips For Travel
Those who feel they are ready to fly with a traumatic spinal cord injury should keep the following in mind.
Consult With a Doctor
Now is not the time for spontaneity. It’s important to speak with your physician before making any travel plans. They can provide guidance on what you can and cannot do. Remember that each spinal cord injury is different, and every person’s body reacts in its own way to the specific type of SCI. You need to speak with your own physician about your own condition rather than rely around stories from others.
Know Your Rights As a Disabled Traveler
If you travel domestically, the Americans With Disabilities Act provides details on all the rights of disabled travelers, which include the right to travel freely and not face discrimination and harassment of any kind. You also are guaranteed help with wheelchairs and other assistance devices, as well as special seating accommodations on the plane. All buildings also must provide access to those with disabilities.
Important Issues For Your Travel Plan
Getting medical clearance and knowing your rights are just the first steps. Next, you will want to create a travel plan that considers all the important issues. It may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s worth it to think ahead on certain issues. Issues to cover with a travel checklist include the following.
What type of transportation will need to and from the airport?
If you use a wheelchair, will you bring your own? If so, make sure you understand the procedures for getting your wheelchair safely stored on your flight
What type of medications and equipment do you need to bring?
Is there a way to get assistance getting through security?
What’s the best place to sit during the flight?
Is the hotel at your destination accessible for someone with your needs?
Are local restaurants and other venues at your destination also accessible?
It’s important to consider all the little things at home that can turn into an ordeal while traveling, such as paying a visit to a small airplane bathroom. Make sure to think ahead for anything you might need or situations you want to avoid. Also, make sure all the equipment you are carrying is in good working order and that you have a backup plan in case something breaks, such as your wheelchair.
Should I Travel With a Flight Nurse?
Given all the situations and issues that people who fly with SCI must deal with, many decide to hire a professional flight nurse to make the flight with them. Flight nurses who specialize in non-emergency medical transport can handle many of the issues listed above, as well as booking your travel and making any needed special arrangements in advance. They also keep track of all medications and have training and experience in providing medical care at high altitudes and managing medical emergencies.
Enduring a spinal cord injury should not keep those who are physically able from enjoying their lives, including travel. With the proper planning and consultation with medical professionals, flying with a traumatic spinal cord injury is doable and gives you the chance for a well-earned break from the daily routine.
It’s possible for people to fly with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, if they have support and assistance to make the journey. One way to ensure that patients make a journey safely is to hire a flying companion for an Alzheimer’s patient.
Flight nurses trained in providing medical care at high altitudes also have expertise in dealing with people who live with a wide variety of medical conditions. They act as a medical travel companion, managing a patient’s medical equipment and prescriptions. They also provide guidance as they move through the airport, as well as when patients get on and off a plane.
Flying nurses are key to non-emergency medical transport (NEMT), which provides air medical care to those with injuries, disabilities and chronic conditions such as dementia.
A person diagnosed with dementia can fly, but they should first consult with a physician. Because dementia is progressive, different people will experience different challenges when traveling.
The Alzheimer’s Association advises that families allow the experience of patients and caregivers to guide decisions on making trips. They write: “For example, if you have always gone to Florida in the winter, you can continue the tradition until the trip becomes too difficult or is no longer relaxing for the person living with dementia or the caregiver.”
For those who decide to make a trip, they may ask, “Can I hire a nurse to fly with me?” The answer is yes. Flight nurses can provide a level of care that gives clients and their families the comfort of having a professional medical care provider along for the trip.
NEMT FAQs: What Flight Nurses Do?
For those considering the option of hiring a flying companion for Alzheimer’s patients, it’s important to understand all the services they provide. Flight nurses at NEMT companies such as Flying Angels coordinate all aspects of a trip, including booking flights. They also have ongoing relationships with airport and airline personnel that helps make the journey through the airport and onto a plane much smoother.
Flight nurses manage a large number of duties.
Ensuring patients have all medications and administering medications as needed
Staying with clients throughout their journey through the airport
Securing the best possible seats on the plane
Training in how to manage any medical situation that arises at high altitudes
Knowing how to get any equipment needed during the trip (such as wheelchairs), as well as the rules on their use
Ensuring clients have all the documents they need. In the case of dementia patients, this includes contact information for the primary care doctor, a list of medications and doses, a list of food allergies and insurance information
The decision to hire a flying companion for Alzheimer’s patients gives both the patient and his or her family the assurance of knowing that someone is on the trip who can manage any type of medical situation. For those diagnosed with dementia, it can make trips possible that they might have thought they could not take.
Inflight medical service is medical assistance given to patients during transportation by plane. In an emergency situation, it typically involves keeping patients stable on the trip to the hospital. In non-emergency medical transport, flight nurses provide care for patients through the airports and on the plane.
Flight nurses and non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) provide an air ambulance alternative. Patients get the medical support and assistance they need at a fraction of the cost. They offer inflight medical services to those who can’t fly on their own or prefer not to, including those with chronic conditions, injuries and age-related disabilities.
People require air medical services for a variety of reasons. But they all fall within two main categories: emergency transport and non-emergency transport.
Emergency Inflight Medical Services
Emergencies involve people who have been in accidents, natural disasters or some other situation where they needed to dial 9-1-1. In this case, air medical services may involve a helicopter. Medical personnel onboard treat a patient with the goal of keeping them stable until they reach a care facility.
The team of professionals providing medical services in an emergency situation can include emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedics trained to quickly assess an injury and determine the best course for treatment during the flight. In these cases, life support care is the main goal.
It’s far more likely that people will use air medical services in a non-emergency medical transport situation. A NEMT company such as Flying Angels provides flight nurses who travel on commercial airlines with their clients. They coordinate the patient’s journey, including making reservations and calling ahead to airports and airlines to ensure they get all the services available for their client.
Reasons for needing NEMT can include a wide variety of situations.
Older people who want medical assistance while flying on vacations, to family reunions or to relocate to a new area
People who have suffered an injury while on vacation and want medical care for the flight home
Those with chronic conditions that make it difficult to move through an airport or getting on and off an airplane.
Patients flying to see a specialist in another part of the country
Whatever the case, flight nurses provide expert care, starting from when the client leaves home until they arrive at their destination. They manage the client’s medications and medical equipment as well as help them move quickly through security and onto the plane. Flights nurses have experience working in emergency situations. They also have training in providing medical care at high altitudes.
It’s possible to fly with dementia, especially if they travel with a companion who helps them as they get through the airport, during the flight and after they reach their final destination. In many cases, that person is a spouse, family member or close friend.
Families also can hire a flight nurse to travel with their loved one, ensuring they have professional medical care throughout their journey. With the proper planning, professional care and attention to detail, it’s possible for someone to fly with dementia.
As The Alzheimer’s Association puts it: “Living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia does not mean it’s necessary to stop participating in meaningful activities such as travel. However, it does require planning to ensure safety, comfort and enjoyment for everyone.
People diagnosed with dementia must make changes in their lives. But those changes do not need to include withdrawing from daily life and never traveling again. As more is known about dementia, the approach to the condition has evolved into finding ways for people to live well with dementia. That includes the ability to travel.
Any decision-making process on a person’s ability to fly with dementia needs to start with the understanding that people experience dementia at different levels. Dementia is a progressive condition. Those in the beginning stages will have far fewer difficulties than those in the latter stages. Consultation with a physician is key in this process.
Even as dementia progresses, people may need to travel for weddings, family reunions, vacations or even to see a medical specialist. If you plan to fly with someone who has dementia, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Even if it costs more, create a flight plan that reduces or eliminates the need to change planes. Also, consider whether your loved one does better in the mornings, afternoons or evenings, and plan the flights accordingly.
Call Ahead For Information
Flight nurses make this a part of their job for every flight they take with a client. It’s especially beneficial for those who fly with dementia. Call airport officials ahead of time to find out if there are any special considerations for going through security if a person has dementia. A call to the airline also can provide information on support they offer for passengers with dementia (such as early seating).
Take The Documents You Need
Designate one carry-on bag to hold all the documents you need. This is especially important in case you become separated. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends the following:
Name and contact information for doctor
A list of all medications and dosages
Contact information for police, fire, hospitals and poison control for your destination area
A list of food allergies
Contact information for friends and family in case of emergency
A flight nurse always reviews a patient’s condition and becomes familiar with the details. If you decide to fly with someone with dementia, you should do the same. Know the warning signs that indicate your loved one is becoming anxious or agitated and have strategies to reduce that agitation. Never overload them with too much information.
Set Realistic Expectations
It’s important ahead of time to set realistic goals for each day of the trip, keeping things as simple and calm as possible. If you are traveling to a family reunion or vacation, know that your loved one may not be able to participate in some activities that take a long time or require complicated instructions. Know your loved ones’ limits – as well as your own.
If it seems like traveling alone with someone with dementia is overwhelming, consider hiring a flight nurse or caregiver to help you plan for the trip, navigate the airport and safely get through the flight. An additional person with professional training can give you great peace of mind for your trip. A dementia diagnosis, while life altering, does not have to result in your loved one no longer traveling. By planning ahead, setting goals and getting help if needed, it’s possible to safely fly with dementia.
Flight nurses travel with patients in both emergency and non-emergency situations. They have specialized skills in providing medical care at high altitudes and managing a patient’s medications. In the case of non-emergency flight nurses, they help patients plan their trips, navigate through the airport and deliver any medical care needed during the flight.
While most people associate flight nurses with emergency situations they have seen on movies and television shows, in real life most people come in contact with non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) flight nurses. People hire NEMT flight nurses through companies who have experienced nurses on staff to accompany clients on their journey.
People who use non-emergency transport include those with chronic illness, injuries, and debilitating conditions. Older flyers also use NEMT for support in trip planning and getting through the airport.
A day in the life of a flight nurse includes many different duties and responsibilities. Their work differs from that of emergency flight nurses who provide pre-hospital care to people who have suffered injuries due to an accident, natural disaster or other emergency.
A flight nurse’s work starts before the journey begins. NEMT flight nurses collaborate with flight coordinators, who are also nurses, to go over all the details of the patient’s flight. They go over airport procedures and also contact any airline or airport officials they need to speak with before the journey begins.
They also review the condition of the client, ensuring they are bringing all the medical equipment and medication required for the journey. They pack their own medical kit to prepare for any needs the client might experience during the trip.
Flight nurses are trained in flight physiology, as well as psychological distress patients may experience during a flight. They also track the times for giving clients their medication and make routine health checks.
After landing, NEMT flight nurses make sure the client disembarks from the plane safely and ensures they get to their ground transportation. In some cases, flight nurses may even travel with patients to their final destination.
NEMT companies employ flight nurses employ registered nurses with years of experience in emergency room nursing and with formal training in providing medical services during a flight. They work with commercial airlines, helping clear any obstacles patients might encounter during their trip. People in many different situations may want to travel with a flight nurse. They include those who:
Recently suffered an injury and want assistance while flying
Recently went through a medical procedure and require medical support during travel
Those with a chronic condition or illness that makes it difficult to travel alone
Families who want a nurse to travel with older family members when they relocate to a new home or travel for a family get-together
A flight nurse can provide important care for those who do not wish to travel alone and want the security of having a trained nurse as a flight companion. For those in such situations, a NEMT flight nurse provides the comfort of knowing they will get to their destination safely, with professional medical care throughout the journey.
