Traveling CareGivers

Archive for the ‘senior travel’ Category

Traveling With Your Grand Children  Travel Ideas For Seniors

During the Latter Years, a lot of seniors spend their free time by vacationing. It can be

a way to see many of the places that couldn’t be seen because of work and family. But

not all elders are traveling alone. A significant number of elders are traveling with their

grandkids sans mom and dad with them in what has become known as "GrandTravel".

Nearly eighty per cent of elders surveyed said that they enjoyed taking their grandkids

along with them on their vacations while their parents stayed at home. The rise in

popularity of taking grand kids might be credited to many factors. The first is that the

grandparents are able to spend much more time with their grandkids instead of just

seeing them whenever their parents bring them to visit. The second is that the

children’s parents get a much-needed break in order to spend quality time together. The

last is that the grandparents can do what they do best – spoil the grandkids without the

parents there.

Kids Come First
One thing that studies about Grandtravel show is that seniors are often much more

democratic when it comes to decisions with their grand children. They include the kids

in decisions about where to go and what to do on the vacation, and will often do

whatever the grandkids want to do.

Deciding at what age a child should be allowed to go on a trip alone with grandma and

grandpa can be tough and really depends on the maturity of the child. Generally,

studies on Grandtravel have shown that 12 or 13 is the average age for a child to go.

And in cases where there are multiple grandchildren around the same age, many seniors

will opt to take one grandchild each summer so that each kid gets the right amount of

attention, and the grandparents aren’t driven completely crazy.

Where to Go
While there’s no shortage of places to take the grandchildren, some popular choices are

Disney World, Washington D.C., New York City and theme parks. Outdoor activities like

hiking, fishing, or the beach are great choices too.  Places with natural wonders also

rank high like Yellowstone, Yosemite or the Grand Canyon.

Let the Grandchildren Choose The Trip
I heard from a pilot I know that he would let the GrandKids plan their trip every year for

their birthday.  Here is an opportunity to spend months of quality time planning a one

on one trip with each Grand Child.  They can choose a trip to a place that really interests

them, making the trip very special for the GrandKids.

To maintain independence at home in the Phoenix area visit www.Care-To-Go.Com

For a Travel Companion anywhere contact WWW.CareToGoTravel.com

It was a beautiful spring day in April when Evelyn and her paid Travel Companion boarded the airport shuttle going from Burbank CA to John Day OR. This would be a trip to remember. Evelyn 95 was on her way to reunite with her brother Howard 93 in Oregon.

Evelyn and Howard are the only two remaining of five brothers and sisters who grew up on a small farm in Missouri and then migrated to California and Oregon in the 1940s. It had been several years since the two had spent any time together.

The flight to Boise ID went smoothly as the Travel Companion had booked an easy connection and had arranged for a wheel chair and priority boarding for each flight segment. Her Travel Companion Pam easily handled the checked baggage and arranged for transportation from Boise airport to John Day OR, about a 3 hour ride. Once checked into a hotel in John Day, Pam and Evelyn went to the ranch to reunite with Howard.

Gary, Brian, Ron, and Donna had also come to join in the reunion. Howard and Evelyn were so excited to see each other they lost no time in catching up. Ron and Donna prepared dinner “Missouri” style setting the stage for hours of conversation about the old days.

For the next three days, Evelyn and Howard talked for hours, never seeming to run out of stories. They talked, fished in the pond (Evelyn caught the most fish for dinner), looked through scrap books, enjoyed Howard’s birthday party and just relished the time together.

Pam, Evelyn’s Travel Companion not only assisted all along the way making the trip possible, but continually made the extra effort insuring that Evelyn was well attended and cared for. Aside from the travel, Pam helped with meals, baited hooks for fishing, helped organize scrapbooks and took pictures. Pam also stayed with Evelyn in the hotel to be sure she was well taken care of and safe.

When it was time for the flight home, Evelyn and her travel companion boarded Southwest flight 405 to Oakland CA to connect to Burbank CA. The usual wheel chair and priority boarding were arranged and the boarding went well.

After about 30 minutes in the air, the pilot announced that there was a warning light in the cockpit and we were going to return to Boise to have it fixed. When it was discovered that the delay would be lengthly, the airline had everyone get off and wait for another plane. Evelyn was assisted off the plane and the situation explained to her. The Travel Companion again handled everything; explaining the situation to Evelyn, rebooking the connecting flight for Oakland, assuring priority boarding again, and handling snacks and drinks. Thankfully the flights home were uneventful and went smoothly.

We are reminded constantly how precious friends and family are to our well being. Seniors frequently let life close in on them because maintaining contact with loved ones who live far away becomes too difficult. Unfortunately, travel is one of the first things that can drop out of the life of our seniors. Travel Companions are a way for seniors to keep the lifestyle they love and maintain contact with friends and family.

Evelyn and Howard had a few wonderful days together and now have more memories to last a life time. At the last dinner in Oregon, plans were already started to have the next family reunion.

One company specializing in Travel Companions is Care-To-Go. For information on scheduling your Travel Companion visit CareToGoTravel.com

Airlines have begun charging for checked bags on flights. Some start at $20 for the first bag and $30 for the next bag. Southwest is still free for checked and carry on bags. Most passengers don’t like the extra charges added at the airport and would rather just have the ticket price be the total price for the flight.

Now Spirit Airlines has started a new high in lows! They want to charge $45 for a carry on bag. Doesn’t everyone take bags on a trip? Of course they do. These added fees are just a rip off and an annoyance to the traveling public.

The following article appeared in Business week.

Click here to see how a Travel Companion from CareToGoTravel.com can help you navigate through these charges.

(Adds Spirit’s response in ninth paragraph, Hawaiian Airlines chief starting in 13th.)

By Jeff Plungis

April 13 (Bloomberg) — Two Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation that would ban airlines from charging fees for bags carried aboard planes one week after Spirit Airlines Inc. became the first carrier to announce a charge.

The legislation by Senators Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana would assure that items essential to people’s health, work and safety can be carried on board without extra fees, according to a statement today. The bill also would require advance notice of special fees for checked items, according to the statement.

“Only one airline has announced plans to charge for carry- on item fees, but we cannot allow these flood gates to open,” Landrieu said in the statement.

Carrying a bag onto a Spirit flight will cost passengers $45 at the gate, or $30 if paid in advance, starting in August, the Miramar, Florida-based discount carrier said in an April 6 statement. Customers paying the fee will board first and all travelers can carry, without charge, small personal items such as a purse or briefcase that fit under the seat.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in an April 8 interview with travel writer Christopher Elliott, said he would hold Spirit’s “feet to the fire” over fees, especially in efforts to ensure consumers understand what they’re paying.

“I think it’s a bit outrageous that an airline is going to charge someone to carry on a bag and put it in the overhead,” LaHood said. “I’ve told our people to try and figure out a way to mitigate that. I think it’s ridiculous.”

Fares Stagnating

Carriers are seeking revenue beyond tickets sales as fares last year stagnated at 1998 levels amid the recession, according to U.S. statistics. The five largest U.S. airlines will collect $1.76 billion for checking first and second bags, a $117 million increase from last year, according to a Jan. 20 report by Ideaworks, a Shorewoods, Wisconsin, consulting firm.

UAL Corp.’s United Airlines was the first major U.S. carrier to impose a fee in 2008 when it began charging for a second checked bag. Most major airlines charge at least $20 to check one bag and $30 for a second, and permit carry-on bags and personal items for free.

Spirit Airlines adjusted fares and fees to help speed up security lines, make boarding quicker and end a “carry-on bag crisis,” spokeswoman Misty Pinson said in an e-mail.

“Spirit is even further lowering fares, lowering checked bag fees, giving customers the option to carry-on a bag for a fee that includes priority boarding, and personal items are still free,” Pinson said.

Discount Club

Spirit said passengers signing up for its discount fare club, at a cost of $39.95 a year, will pay $20 for carry-on bags when they prepay using the Internet. The carrier is lowering fees for prepaid checked bags for club members, to $15 for the first and second bags from $19 for one and $25 for the second.

Cardin and Landrieu failed in a bid to add their bill as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that passed the Senate last month, the statement said.

Congress should avoid legislating fees as airline deregulation helped the industry lower fares and add flights, said Mark Dunkerley, chief executive officer of Hawaiian Holdings Inc., parent of Honolulu-based Hawaiian Airlines.     “You ought to allow all kinds of airlines to try new and innovative things to attract customers,” Dunkerley said in a telephone interview. “It’s important that legislation stay away from directing airlines what they can and cannot charge for.”

Watching Spirit

    Hawaiian has “no plans” to add a carry-on bag fee as it watches developments at Spirit “very closely,” he said.

Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, yesterday asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to use his power to declare carry-on luggage as a necessary part of air travel, which would subject the fees to a federal excise tax. The decision would discourage airlines from charging fees for bags, he said. If the Treasury Department doesn’t act, Schumer said he’d introduce legislation to have the same effect.

“Airline passengers have always had the right to bring a carry-on bag without having to worry about getting nickel and dimed by an airline company,” Schumer said. “The Treasury Department needs to close the loophole that encourages this abusive practice and rein in these fees.”

–With assistance from Mary Jane Credeur in Atlanta and John Hughes in Washington. Editors: Steve Geimann, Romaine Bostick.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeff Plungis in Washington at jplungis@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Larry Liebert at lliebert@bloomberg.net

Visit Care-To-Go Travel Comapanions

One of the most important things for the elderly to have organized while traveling is their medications.  As reported in previous articles, all medications needed for a trip should be kept in carry-on bags.  There should be plenty for the trip and bring the forms listed below in case a refill is necessary.  A Personal Travel Assistant can help organize medications for a trip. There are also several more reasons to take a Travel Companion along.

As we age doctors prescribe additional drugs. There are so many kinds, of side effects, limitations and cautions that it will become hard keep organized as well as be safe. Your caregiver professional will be able to lend a hand with forms to keep track. You ought to possess a master list, a list of drugs you take each day, in addition to a different sheet for prescriptions that could have severe side effects or particular directives. Included here are seven Prescription Recommendations to keep it straight.

The Medications List
This form ought to contain your critical information concerning your drugs plus times to be taken it’s color and size. Your information included should include your name, the doctors’ name, the doctors’ telephone and address, the pharmacy telephone and address. The date of birth plus social security number must be here because this is how the pharmacy computer systems detect the patient for refills.

The Medications Side Effects Sheet
This form is just what it says. The patients name, address and telephone ought to be there of course. There should also be a listing of medication names, prescribed amount, frequency, as well as classification. There should be plenty of space for side effects, special instructions and cautions. There may be one drug per page.

Caregivers as advocates
When you need help tracking and understanding your prescriptions, be sure to bring an advocate along with you to the doctors’ office and the pharmacy. Your CareGiver should be at every appointment along with you. As an advocate, your Caregiver professional will ensure all instructions, side effects, and cautions are understood and written down. The CareGiver can then help with the lists you will keep as will as organizing you pillbox for every week.

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The  Security check procedures at the airport change often and a Personal Travel Assistant can assist Senior travelers get through easily.

When elderly travelers pass through an airport it is  important for them to know all of  the ins and outs of baggage rules, check –in procedures, getting through the TSA security checkpoint and locating the correct departure gate.  This can be very confusing if traveling without assistance.  With the  hearing loss, eyesight loss, and some poor judgment, the airport  can be confusing.

A Travel Companion could assist an elderly traveler from the beginning of a trip, to the destination assuring a smooth and rewarding experience.  Traveling  is supposed to be fun and even exciting.  So, getting through the starting airport and arrival airport easily should be  an important part of the process.

One Travel Companion company starting trips anywhere nationally can be found at CareToGoTravel.com.  Here you will find  experienced travel experts and caregivers to make your trip a success.

To read a complete article on security changes, click here.

The TSA Security checks at the airport change frequently and a Personal Travel Assistant can help elderly travelers get through smoothly.

When elderly travelers go through the airport it is very important for them to be aware of all the ins and outs of baggage limits, check –in procedures, getting through the security checkpoint and finding the correct gate for departure.  All of which can be very daunting if traveling alone.  With the loss of hearing, eyesight and some judgment, the airport experience can be confusing.

A Travel Companion can assist elderly travelers from start to destination assuring a smooth and rewarding experience.  Traveling after all is supposed to be fun and even exciting.  So, getting through the departure airport and destination airport easily is an important part of the process.

One Travel Companion company operating nationally can be found at CareToGoTravel.com.  Here you will find long time experienced travel experts and caregivers to make your trip a success.

To read article click here

Sometimes a good deal is passed along by a Care-To-Go Phoenix Travel Companion

Southern Caribbean Cruise 8-Nights from $299

Here is an opportunity to enjoy a one way cruise ship trip from Panama to Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

From as little as $299 per person — only about $37 a night — you can sail aboard Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas. On April 11, 2010, you’ll depart from Colon, Panama, and visit ports in Costa Rica, Colombia and Aruba. In Puerto Limon you may want to consider booking a rainforest tour –nearly a quarter of the town’s landmass is national park territory, and it houses around 8,000 plant species and 10 percent of the world’s butterflies. Just be sure to keep in mind, you’ll have to book one-way flights into Colon and out of Fort Lauderdale back home.

The airfare will cost, however this looks like a great once-in-a lifetime trip. If you have airline passes or can travel on frequent flyer miles, this trip is a no brainer.

The Enchantment of the Seas has all the normal cruise ship features including:

• Jazzy Bolero’s lounge is one of the most fun hot spots at sea
• Stunning sun deck is one of cruisings most beautiful anywhere
• Features Chop’s Grill alternative restaurant
• Handicap-friendly cabins available in varying categories

If you need assistance along the way, consider a Personal Travel Assistant to help you along the way. You can find a Travel Companion at CareToGoTravel.com.

A Travel Companion Recommends 7 Ideas For Senior Travelers

1. A Pre Trip Visit To The Doctor Is Important
It’s always a good idea for your parent to have a checkup before traveling. At the very least, let your parents’ doctor know airplane travel is in the works and ask if a checkup is advised. This may be a good time to re check prescriptions with the doctor before the trip and have arrangements to refill prescriptions along the way if necessary.

2. Packing The Right Way Can Save The Day
Flying is uncertain, with delays, cancellations, and lost luggage. All of your parents’ medications (prescription and over-the-counter) should be easily accessible, packed in a carry-on bag. Other helpful items for a carry-on include body lotion, a toothbrush, tissues, a small container of wipes, and favorite reading material or games, for the trip. Be sure to use the 3-1-1 rule for TSA security.

3. Calling Ahead To Request A Wheelchair Will Make Getting Through The Airport Much Easier
Even if your parent normally doesn’t use a wheelchair, a chair can be extremely helpful when navigating airports especially if your parent is elderly and you’re rushed or carrying luggage. Request a wheelchair when making the reservation for the arrival airport and any connection airports. If you forget, you can always order one at a service desk or ticket counter. Consider a walker or cane if you don’t use a wheelchair along the way. Packing a portable walker can make travel easier for the entire trip. These devices are sold at drugstores, medical supply stores, and online. You may also check the Good Will for a deal. Caution—some canes purchased used at a thrift store may have a hidden sword in it. This will get you busted for sure at the security checkpoint.

4. Wear Loose Clothing
It is important to be comfortable during the flight, but loose clothing also allows blood to circulate more easily during periods of inactivity. Sitting for long periods is associated with blood clots, especially for people with poor circulation. You may also want to check with the doctor about compression stockings, which can assist with lower leg circulation and may be helpful for some seniors. Avoid tight socks or stockings. Slip on shoes are important when going through the security screener. Shoes must be taken off and put on the X-ray belt so don’t use lace up shoes.

5. Move Around During The Flight Often
The inactivity of air travel can be tough on muscles and joints as well as circulation. One of the best remedies is to take mini exercise breaks by standing, walking the aisles, and stretching or moving your arms and legs. An exercise break is recommended every 30 minutes.

6. Drink Plenty Of Fluids
Airplanes are notoriously dehydrating due to their low humidity. The best defense against dehydration is to drink plenty of fluids before, after, and during a flight. Water is best. Caffeinated beverages (colas) and alcohol are dehydrating and should be avoided. Experienced flight crews start with a large bottle of water and make sure it is all gone by the end of a long flight. 8oz per hour is a good rule of thumb too.

7. Taking A Travel Companion Along
Traveling is both fun and sometimes necessary for everyone. People who have had a lifestyle that included traveling can continue to enjoy travel even when they need assistance. A Travel Companion can handle all arrangements, accompany you on a trip from door to door. Imagine a Personal Travel Assistant taking care of everything for you; baggage, airport check in, getting through security smoothly, on board attendant, and handling all details on arrival. A traveling CareGiver  can make elder travel smooth and easy.

For more information on Travel Companions visit CareToGoTravel.com

Amtrak Discount to Seniors reported by Phoenix Home Care CareGiver and Care-To-Go.com

A Travel Companion from  Phoenix points to a discount available to the elderly on Amtrak.

Senior train travelers can Save 15% on Amtrak if they are over 62 years and the elderly traveler over 60 can have a 10% reduction in price.

Read Amtrak Article

Train travel is a favorite way to travel among our senior loved ones..  The tickets are low, and bedroom fairs include meals also.

Care-To-Go is getting more and more requests for a train  Travel Companion for their trips.

Care-To-Go at 1-800-818-0407 or on the web at www.caretogotravel.com