One of the great benefits about traveling is that it isn’t defined by age. You could be parents travelling the world with a newborn baby, or you could be in your 90s and just enjoying your retirement.
Of course, different age brackets have different considerations. While child friendly activities might be on the cards for the younger generations, it goes without saying that this is of no importance to the elderly.
If you, or an elderly relative, is planning a trip in the near future, it’s a good idea to keep on top of some extra considerations. Today’s post will now take a look at three of them.
It’s all about the Coronavirus
With the global spread of the Coronavirus disease over the past few months, this should be number one on your list of considerations as an elderly person travelling. The risks are higher compared to younger travelers, particularly if you already have an underlying medical condition. This is why we would point you in the direction of this page from Staysure which contains useful information around what insurance covers during the Coronavirus outbreak, which can help you plan for your upcoming trip.
Under no circumstances should you approach one of these trips without adequate insurance, especially with the current state of play with the Coronavirus. Depending on the country, you might be advised by the government not to travel at all.
Be wary of the temperature (and it goes both ways)
If we were to roll back the years, we may have once absolutely reveled in heatwaves in tropical locations. Now, a greater degree of caution needs to be taken.
Should you be avoiding these sorts of places, in peak season, at all costs? Absolutely not. All we are saying is that you do need to be careful, as the repercussions of succumbing to something like heatstroke are far more severe for the elderly. A lot of people will mitigate this by staying indoors during the peak daylight hours – but you must question whether or not this is the way in which you want to spend your getaway.
It doesn’t just work with hot weather either. Cold weather can be just as treacherous for the opposite reasons. Wrapping up warm is one way to get around this, but also consider other points like the risk of slipping. This is something that can be common if you are heading to somewhere like a ski resort, so exercise further caution here.
Your choice of accommodation matters as well
You may have followed all of the above advice, but you should also be wary about what sort of accommodation you will be staying in as well.
Like we alluded to at the start of today’s article, it’s not all equal. No, we’re not talking about playgrounds this time, but more related to the fact that some hotels and resorts are more accessible than others. For example, the last thing you want is to be stranded on the top floor of an apartment block, with a lift that is out of action for half of your holiday. This is where research into your stay is crucial and you need to make sure that all of these points are covered long before you book your break.