After decades of working hard, raising children, looking after your home and, eventually, helping out with the grandchildren, you’ve more than earned your chance to see a bit more of the world. You may be a little less mobile than you once were, have a health complaint or two, or find yourself getting a little forgetful from time to time. So what? With a bit of careful planning and extra organization there’s no reason you can’t have some of the best vacations of your life as a senior.
Read on for our top 10 safety tips for senior travelers and start planning your big getaway today!
1) Get A Check Up Before You Go
A great way to get yourself both physically and mentally prepared for a trip is by scheduling an appointment with your doctor. If you’re currently taking any kind of medication or have any ongoing health conditions it’s important to get a health check-up to make sure you’re as fit as can be before your trip. Even if you’re fit as a fiddle and currently have no problems with your heath, your doctor will likely want to give you the once over to make sure things like your blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall mobility are looking good. During your visit you can also discuss any concerns you might have about looking after your health in the area you’re traveling to. It is recommended that you have a number of immunizations to defend against infectious diseases before traveling to certain parts of the world, so make sure you see your doctor well ahead of time in case you need to schedule more appointments for shots. At the very least, you may need to discuss malaria prevention. The Travelers’ Health section of the CDC’s website is a great resource for finding out what precautions to take. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel.
