Under provisions of the federal Air Carrier Access Act, airlines must offerair travel assistance for seniorsthat includes assistance in boarding, deplaning and making connections to their next flight. It also includes some assistance during the flight, but for personal services, seniors need someone along with them on the flight such as family or a flight nurse.
Flight assistance for the elderly helps make air travel safe for seniors. While it takes a flight nurse to handle personal issues such as medication during a flight, air travel assistance for seniors offered by airlines and airports makes it much more comfortable for seniors to travel.
Airlines and airports offer many forms of travel assistance that make air travel for seniors much easier to manage. They include:
Wheelchairs. Those with difficulty walking long distances require a wheelchair to navigate large airport terminals. As part of flight assistance for the elderly, airports offer wheelchair service from drop off to the gate.
Special screening procedures. If you are older than 75, the federal Transportation Safety Agency will make special accommodations for you when it comes to going through security. However, you may experience some delay if you have a wearable medical device or medical equipment, which must get checked separately.
Best seats. Seniors usually like to sit near the front of an airplane, where it’s easier to access the bathroom. That also shortens the trip while boarding and deplaning. Many may want seats with extra legroom, as well as the chance for early boarding that allows them to get settled on the plane before everyone else starts boarding. While it’s not always possible to get these seats, always ask when buying tickets.
Food service. If it’s a long flight, airlines may offer specialty meals that meet dietary restrictions for senior passengers.
Senior discounts. This is another issue to ask about, although senior discounts are harder to find these days.
In order to request special assistance such as a wheelchair, call the airport at least 48 hours before your flight. Most airports have staff dedicated to providing travel assistance to seniors. They will mark your itinerary with “special assistance requested,” allowing staff to prepare for your arrival.
Personal Flight Assistance For the Elderly
While all these services offer advantages, there are some things that airports and airlines will not do. The biggest issue is with extensive personal assistance during the flight itself. While staff will give senior travelers as much assistance as they can, they are not required to focus only on an elderly passenger and must meet the needs of a plane full of people.
This extends to such issues as managing your medication during the trip and handling any in-flight medical needs.
The solution is to have a family member or close friend fly with you. If that’s not possible, a flight nurse working with a medical transport service that specializes in traveling with elderly passengers can help. They will manage medications and handle any medical issues that might arise during the trip. A Flight Coordinator handles booking travel and making all the arrangements for the trip including at the airport for flight assistance for the elderly. By offering travel assistance for seniors, airlines and airports make it much easier for the elderly to travel safely and in as much comfort as possible. The key is to contact both the airport and airline in advance to secure the special assistance you need.
If you’ve experienced a collapsed lung, most likely your physician will want you to wait from one to three weeks before flying. That’s because the risk of a collapsed lung worsening increases if you are under the pressure of an airplane cabin at high altitudes.
That doesn’t mean you can never fly with a collapsed lung, however. Once a doctor has determined that enough time has passed, they will give you the green light to fly. At that point, many people feel more comfortable traveling with a medical professional such as a flight nurse who can both provide care and serve as a strong patient advocate.
As with other medical conditions, including a broken bone or head trauma, a flight nurse can provide the care you need and offer peace of mind during your flight.
What Is Pneumothorax?
The technical term for a collapsed lung is pneumothorax. It’s caused when air leaks into the space between the chest wall and the lung, pushing on the outside of the lung and making it collapse. Pneumothorax can involve a partial or a complete lung collapse.
A wide variety of issues can lead to pneumothorax. They include a blunt or penetrating chest injury or damage from underlying lung disease. Some medical procedures may also lead to a collapsed lung.
Symptoms can include sudden chest pain and shortness of breath. In some cases, a collapsed lung can be a life-threatening event.
Treatment for a Collapsed Lung
In most cases, a collapsed lung is likely to keep you grounded for a time, at least a few weeks. Treatment for pneumothorax can differ depending on the size of the pocket of air outside the lungs and the severity of the issue.
With a smaller pneumothorax, the situation sometimes gets better on its own. A doctor may treat a patient by giving them oxygen, waiting and observing the patient, then conducting a chest x-ray to see the extent of the problem.
A large pneumothorax that causes severe pain and breathing problems will typically require immediately removing the pocket of air, usually by inserting a chest tube through a small incision between the ribs. Air escapes from the tube. This requires hospitalization for as long as the tube stays in your chest.
When to Fly With a Collapsed Lung
As with other medical conditions, it is critical to get checked with a physician before deciding to fly with a collapsed lung. They can determine if the lung has healed sufficiently to allow you to fly. That’s because the pressure at high altitudes can cause the lung to collapse again if you have not sufficiently healed.
According to research published in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health, air travel “is generally safe 2–3 weeks after successful drainage of [pneumothorax].” They added that current guidelines from the Orlando Regional Medical Center and the British Thoracic Society recommend delaying air travel for at least 14 days.
When you do decide to fly, it is helpful to travel with someone with the experience to manage medical care and handle any situation that might arise during your flight. Partnering with a flight nurse from a non-emergency medical transport company provides assurance to both the patient and their family that they will arrive safely at their destination.
For a variety of reasons, people often seek a long distance transportation service. Thanks to the expansion of those services in recent years, people can find the transportation that fits their needs, ranging from car services for those who do not want to drive themselves to medical services for those who need assistance during their travels.
What you need depends on the reason for hiring the service. The phrase long distance transport actually encompasses three different categories of transport: non-medical, medical and emergency transportation.
Non-Medical Long Distance Transport
For those who need transportation but do not have any mobility issues or other health-related issues, car services are a popular choice if you do not want to fly or drive. Car services can provide both short distance and long distance transportation services. An insured, professional driver handles the driving. Customers can use a “driver by the hour” service to have someone drive their own car, or can hire a service that provides both the car and driver.
These services are popular in large metropolitan areas where business people use a car service because they want to take calls or conduct work while riding into an office. For long distance travel, those who are not comfortable riding on an airplane or driving themselves can hire car service for long distance transport, including “snowbirds” traveling to Florida or Arizona during the winter months.
If you live in or near a large metropolitan area, it’s easy to find car services through an internet search. As with every type of service, it’s important to look for reviews, references, proper licensing and experience.
The best non-emergency medical transport companies (NEMT) provide end-to-end service for those who need assistance taking a trip that involves flying on a commercial airline. An NEMT company makes all the arrangements for the trips, working with airlines and airports ahead of time to ensure the client’s needs are met.
NEMT companies also have an experienced flight nurse who accompanies the client on their journey, starting from when they leave their home to when they arrive at their destination. They help clients navigate airport and security, and then ensure their comfort and safety during the flight. They also administer medication and have training to provide medical services at high altitudes.
People in many different situations hire NEMT companies to get long distance medical transportation services at a rate far below what emergency services require.
Seniors who want assistance when relocating to a new home
People with disabilities that impact their mobility
Those with dementia issues
Those have suffered an injury that impacts mobility
Those injured while on vacation who need medical care for their trip back home (known as medical repatriations). NEMT provides a far less expensive air ambulance alternative.
Older travelers who feel more comfortable making long distance trips with medical assistance
Finding NEMT services requires searching online for companies that offer all the services you need while also having nurses with years of experience in trauma care and in-flight care. The best NEMT services handle all the arrangements, no matter where you travel, and in a variety of different circumstances.
Emergency Medical Transportation Services
When it comes to long distance transportation that involves medical care, emergency medical transportation is the most well-known and also the last you want to use. Emergency services, including air ambulances, are expensive and typically only necessary for those who need immediate medical care to survive.
Emergency medical transportation is used after accidents and natural disasters. Trained paramedics travel on the flight, providing medical care to keep patients alive before arriving at a hospital. People rarely try to find emergency long distance transportation – they are reached by calling emergency phone numbers and then dispatched by local government agencies.
All three of these long distance transportation services are available, depending on your needs. For most people who need long distance medical transportation, an NEMT company is the best choice outside of the rare emergency.
Holiday travel during the months of November and December can prove stressful to anyone, including those with disabilities. However, holiday travel with limited mobility is possible if you plan ahead and follow smart tips during your journey.
The following looks at some of the major issues to keep in mind if you plan on limited mobility holiday travel, especially air travel. As with those with specific issues, including everything from traumatic brain injury to a spinal cord injury, flying with medical assistance and medical flight services can make the trip go much easier.
Planning Holiday Travel If You Have Limited Mobility
Keep these issues in mind before you leave the house and during your flight.
Know Your Rights
Make sure to know the rights you have under the Americans With Disabilities Act. In the broadest terms, you cannot be discriminated against because you experience mobility issues. There are rules in place that make bathrooms accessible, allow service animals if required, and provide assistance going through security.
Even under normal circumstances, you want to book your trip early. For holiday travel, it’s even more important. Flights fill up quickly in November and December. Book as far in advance as possible and stick with non-stop flights, if possible. If you must take two flights, make sure there is plenty of time to change planes at the airport. Arrange transportation to and from the airport.
Call Ahead
Contact both the airline and the airport to find out all the services available to limited mobility travelers. They include shorter security lines, the chance to board early and get assistance (such as a wheelchair) while moving through the airport. Be specific about your injury and write down the details of what they offer to help you.
Packing Equipment, Medication
If you take medication, bring enough to last the entire trip and place it in your carryon bag. When you speak with people at the airport and airlines, find out rules around using equipment – crutches or your own wheelchair, for example – during your trip. For example, airplanes have special wheelchairs meant to fit the narrow aisle, so your wheelchair will be stored during the flight. Make sure you ask to have your own chair brought to you at the gate of your destination airport.
Going Through Security
The Transportation and Safety Administration advises those with limited mobility to speak with a TSA agent about any concerns before going through security. You can contact the TSA about this issue through the TSA Cares toll free helpline.
If you’re approved ahead of time through TSA Pre✓®, you will not need to remove laptops or 3-1-1- liquids from your bag or take off shoes, belts, or light jackets during the screening process. However, TSA adds that “everyone is required to undergo screening at the checkpoint by technology or a pat-down. Also, TSA officers may swab an individual’s hands, mobility aids, equipment and other external medical devices to test for explosives using explosives trace detection technology.”
Find the Right Seat
Most airlines will allow you to board early, so choose a seat on the aisle so you can more easily get up and go to the bathroom, if necessary. You’ll want a seat as close to the bathroom as well.
Drink Water, Bring Food
Stay hydrated during the flight by drinking water – about eight ounces of water is recommended for every hour you fly. With that in mind, a stop at the bathroom is a smart move, too! Also, if you are on any type of special diet, bring food packed in your carryon bag to make it through the flight.
For those with limited mobility who plan holiday travel, making the journey with a flight nurse can provide the peace of mind of having a medical professional with you every step of the way. A flight nurse has experience providing emergency medical care and will oversee all your travel arrangements, including working with airport and airline officials on your behalf. They also oversee the handling of medical equipment and medications throughout your journey. They take on a lot of the stressful parts of holiday travel for those with limited mobility.
Everyone should enjoy going to see friends and loved ones during the holiday season. That included those with limited mobility. Flying with medical assistance can help make the journey easier, and give you the comfort of knowing someone is with you who can handle any problems that arises.
