Healthy Living Home Page

Home

Physicians

Hospitals

Jobs

Healthy Living

Web Babies

Classes

News

 
Senior Care Preferred from the Health Alliance Healthy Living Home Page

July 99
Travel Tips for Seniors

Are you taking advantage of your free time to explore the globe?  Join us on one of our trips!

The free time that comes with retirement gives seniors ample opportunity to explore the globe. Seniors, in fact, make up a large proportion of the tourist market both domestically and internationally. But being a little older can make these travelers a bit more susceptible to certain travel-related health problems.

For a safe trip, heed these tips:

  • Make sure your itinerary is not too demanding for you or your companions.
  • Visit your doctor and dentist before an extended trip; schedule appointments enough in advance to take care of any health problems well before your departure date.
  • When traveling to areas in which infectious diseases are a threat, consult your doctor several months in advance to assure time for immunizations. Many large university hospitals have travel clinics, which havetraveling for seniors the latest information on necessary immunizations, and precautions for travel to remote (and not so remote) areas. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also maintains a web site with this information.
  • If you are being treated for an ongoing medical condition, carry copies of your medical records.
  • Carry a good supply of your prescription medications and keep them with you, not packed in your suitcase. Take along non-prescription pain relievers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen and over-the-counter antacids and antidiarrheal medications.
  • Take along a spare pair of eyeglasses.
  • When traveling to areas with poor sanitation or disease-control measures, avoid drinking unbottled water (including ice cubes and tap water for brushing your teeth). Also avoid raw and undercooked seafood as well as unpeeled fruits and vegetables. The food you eat should be fully cooked and served HOT.
  • For additional protection against traveler's diarrhea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using Pepto Bismol or an antidiarrheal. You can take these safely, several times daily with meals, for up to three weeks --EXCEPT if you are already taking salicylate products (for example, aspirin for arthritis).   If diarrhea becomes severe, or contains traces of blood, seek medical attention immediately.
  • When traveling in mosquito-infested regions, use insect repellent containing the compound DEET. Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading yellow fever, dengue fever, encephalitis, and malaria.
  • Check your health insurance policy. If it doesn't cover you for treatment outside the U.S.A. -- including emergency evacuation by air ambulance to a major medical center -- consider purchasing travel health insurance (ask your travel agent).
  • If you need medical care while abroad, go to the largest university hospital or consult the hotel concierge.

Senior Care Preferred offers some overnight trips throughout the year.  Two of our upcoming trips include a seven day tour of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and a seven night cruise to the western Caribbean. Make sue to check our calendar of events!
 

Contact Us:
Senior Care Preferred
1-513-585-6462

.
Web Links
 

Top Rated Web Sites for Senior Travel

Check out this list of web sites geared specifically for travel for seniors.t
 .

Travel Warnings

Stay Safe--"Visit" the U.S. State Department's listing of travel warnings from around the world.

Health and Safety Travel Tips

Subscribe to an on-line newsletter about travel safety. .
 

disclaimer
Find a Physician
 
Senior Care Preferred
 For Senior Care
 

Healthy Living Articles
© Copyright 2002 The Health Alliance 
All rights reserved.
Updated 07/01/05
Send this page to a friend!
Write the Webmaster
Health Alliance Home Page Physicians Hospitals Jobs Healthy Living Web Babies Classes News