Traveling CareGivers

Posts Tagged ‘Travel Companions’

Home For The Holidays—Phoenix Travel Companions Assist With Elder Travel

By Captain Gary Bates, Trans World Airlines retired

In this article:

Travel becomes difficult for an aging population

Booking a flight and getting to the plane

During the flight and arriving at the destination

How Travel Companions Assist with Elder Travel

Customizing Travel for Seniors

How Travel Companions Can Get You There When The Family Can’t

Holidays are a special time, filled with memories of the past and lots of family fun. Getting the family together becomes more and more difficult as we age. Holiday travel is the heaviest and most confusing time for anyone and especially difficult for elder travel. Seniors separated from family members come to a point where it is just too much hassle and even unsafe to try to travel to family gatherings by themselves.

As an aging population, and travel becoming more high tech, senior travel becomes an even greater challenge. Seniors stop traveling because of a variety of factors.

• Mobility difficulty, walkers, wheelchairs or just moving slowly
• Anxiety
• Impaired judgment and trusting strangers
• Difficulty seeing and hearing at airports
• Loss of balance
• Personal assistance needed during travel
• Confusion during the security process
• Handling baggage
• Possible flight cancelations
• Being forced to stay overnight at a connection airport
• Rebooking missed connections
• Vulnerability to theft

Booking a flight and getting to the plane

Air travel today is fast, efficient and safe unless you are impaired by some of the above problems. When we bring grandma home for Christmas or Hanukkah, we can find a flight and book space for her. Maybe she can get help getting to the departure airport, but the steps in getting to her seat on the airplane can be daunting. Will she check her bags at the curb or at the ticket counter? Can she navigate escalators and long walkways with a cane or walker? Can she arrange for a wheelchair? Can she work the credit card scanner to get a boarding pass and get through security? The potential for problems are endless.

During the flight and arriving at the destination

All too often seniors are sent on flights alone where they need a lot of assistance. They can become confused or embarrassed by situations that you or I would not think twice about. Simple things like handling a broken seat, getting a drink of water of navigating the lavatory and toilet can be overwhelming to someone who is confused, can’t hear or is anxious. Seniors frequently say, “I don’t want to be a bother to the flight attendant”, or “they are probably too busy” so I’ll just put up with my problem. Over the years I have seen many wet seat cushions because of this kind of thinking. Now the senior feels embarrassed and looses the joy of the journey.

When a flight is canceled at a connection point or worse yet, is diverted to an alternate airport, confusion reigns. The passenger lines are long and tempers can flare. Is there another flight today or are we getting a voucher for a hotel and meals? This is no place for a senior alone who is a little confused and slow to start with.

I once had a flight to Baltimore which diverted to Pittsburg because Baltimore closed in snow. Because of delays it was after midnight at Pittsburg and most of the airport staff had gone home. Here we were with a plane load of people including children traveling alone and some elders who were lost and waiting for help and direction. Imagine being stuck at an airport that is mostly closed in the winter and in the snow.

Our flight crew rose to the occasion finding hotel rooms, and arranging vans to the hotel.

Now, for the unaccompanied children (even up to 16 years old) and elders. After arranging for rooms, the flight crew, flight attendants and pilots, helped make phone calls to the worried parents of the children and families of the stranded seniors in Baltimore.

Some seniors have cell phones, however they can become confused with poor reception, retrieving messages, or just keeping it charged. Cell phones can become a false sense of security for the senior and the family at home.

All ended well and everyone got to their destination the next day. If it were not for this flight crew going way above and beyond their duties, the evening would not have ended as well as it did.

Travel Companions Assist with Elder Travel

Phoenix Travel Companions are available to assist seniors to the airport and onto the plane, travel with them all the way to the destination, or provide caregiving for the entire trip.

In the problem areas listed above I have seen Professional Travel Companions

Smoothly and professionally handle everything for their elder travel clients.

Beginning with planning the trip, to avoiding potential problems on board, to arrival at the destination, Travel Companions can handle everything.

• Trip planning
• Transport to the airport including wheelchair lift vans
• Navigating the airport, check-in, getting through security faster, restroom stops,

boarding the plane early to allow extra time

• Assistance on the plane, appropriate seats, meals and drinks, help with the lavatory and personal needs, deplaning at destination
• Navigate through arrival airport, claiming baggage and arranging transportation

Customizing Travel for Seniors

It is important for your trip planning to be appropriate for elder travel.

Some considerations for senior travel planning:

• Planning travel on less busy days to minimize confusion and delays, travel a day or two early for a more relaxing flight
• Appropriate packing, what should we have in carry on bag?
• A comfortable place to wait for the flight
• The best time of day for departure and arrival
• The number of stops and allowing connection time
• Seat selection on board, no emergency rows, choose isle or window, bulkhead rows may help or hurt, the last row seat in a cabin may not recline
• Meals, snacks and drinks on the way, proper hydration is critical
• Medication access and reminders
• Supplemental oxygen may make all the difference at altitude
• Mark bags to easily recognize bags at baggage claim
• Planning transfer to destination on arrival
• Enjoying the rest of the vacation

Travel Companions Can Get You There When The Family Can’t

Sometimes the time off from work for family members is limited. Elder Travel Companions can handle the traveling so that the family can spend all their time together for the holidays. If you just have 3 or 4 days off from work for a holiday, you don’t have to spend your precious time traveling. Let your traveling caregiver bring your elder family member to you ahead of time so you can spend all of your days off enjoying family time together at home.

Your Phoenix travel companion can provide transportation services, or provide caregiving for the senior for the entire time. This may be very helpful for weddings or family reunions where the family is pressed for time and need help with caregiving. The idea of a family reunion is for everyone to relax and enjoy each others company.

For an Elder Travel Assistant contact Care To Go at 800-818-0407 or at www.caretogotravel.com

Phoenix Travel Companion Reports Southwest-AirTran deal means more options for some

By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP, AP Airlines Writer – Mon Sep 27, 11:30 pm ET

NEW YORK – Southwest’s decision to buy AirTran will mean more routes and fewer delays and cancellations in small cities but higher fares in the Northeast and perhaps the end of the super-low sale fare.

Southwest Airlines, which has built a loyal following with its tongue-in-cheek ads and refusal to charge for checked bags, said Monday it planned to buy AirTran for $1.4 billion.

The deal will move Southwest into 37 new cities, expand its presence in cities like New York and Boston and move it into Atlanta, the busiest airport in the nation.

Combining the AirTran and Southwest routes means more connecting options for people flying through places like Moline, Ill., and Wichita, Kan., which should result in fewer delays and cancellations because there will be more options for rerouting passengers.

In bigger cities like the Northeast hubs, however, fares will probably eventually go up. They may not rise right away because many of those cities are still served by a third discounter, JetBlue Airways, said fare expert George Hobica.

The acquisition may also spell the end of the deep-discount sales currently offered by AirTran and Southwest because there will be less competition. Right now, for example, AirTran is offering a $54 one-way fare between Baltimore and Boston.

"The era of irrational, stupid, destructive fare sales is over," Hobica said. "This is the new normal. JetBlue now has permission to raise prices between Baltimore and Boston. Other airlines now have permission to raise prices between Washington, D.C., and Florida."

In welcome news for weary travelers, Southwest said it will drop AirTran’s bag fees when the pair combine in 2012. Right now, AirTran charges $20 for the first checked bag, $25 for the second.

Some major airlines charge even more. Southwest claims it has lured passengers by refusing to charge for bags, and it has built a marketing campaign around the policy, with baggage handlers shouting declarations of love to suitcases on the tarmac.

The combined airline probably won’t be large enough to pressure big competitors like United and American to give up the hundreds of millions of dollars a year they make from baggage fees, airline analyst Jay Sorensen said.

While Southwest will be about 25 percent larger when the deal is complete, it will remain the fourth-largest by traffic. The upcoming combination of United and Continental will be No. 1, followed by Delta and the parent of American.

Southwest will move into Atlanta, the only major business hub it doesn’t already serve. Business travelers are key to airlines because they tend to pay higher fares. In an interview with The Associated Press, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said Atlanta was a "gaping hole in our route system."

Southwest also gains routes to Mexico and the Caribbean, where JetBlue has a big presence.

The buyout is the latest in a wave of consolidation in the airline industry. Continental and United will topple Delta as the largest airline in the world when they combine this week. Delta got the title when it bought Northwest in 2008. In the past 10 years, 10 major airlines have paired off, leaving five fewer.

The deal will leave only four major airlines without suitors: American, US Airways, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines. Several experts suggest the unexpected Southwest deal will pressure American to tie up with US Airways, or possibly JetBlue.

AirTran was founded in 1992 as ValuJet Airlines. It was renamed after the 1996 crash of ValuJet Flight 592 into the Florida Everglades, which killed all 110 people on board. It would be Southwest’s largest acquisition by far.

Southwest founder Herb Kelleher, a cigarette-smoking, Wild Turkey-drinking Texas lawyer, revolutionized the airline industry in the 1970s by offering low fares to leisure travelers out of secondary airports. Early on, the airline drew customers by passing out booze and putting flight attendants in hot pants.

The company, which began with a handful of planes hopping among three Texas cities, bought Morris Air and Muse Air in the mid-1980s. Two years ago, it bought assets of ATA Airlines out of bankruptcy and began limited service to and from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Last year, Southwest tried unsuccessfully to buy Frontier Airlines out of bankruptcy. Republic AirwaysHoldings won the auction instead and bought it for $109 million.

Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran is expected to close in the first half of next year. It requires both regulatory and shareholder approval.

Based on Southwest Airlines’ closing share price on Friday, the deal is worth $7.69 per AirTran share. That’s a 69 percent premium over its closing price of $4.55. AirTran shares jumped 62 percent to $7.36, while Southwest shares rose $1.73 to $14.01.

Southwest will pay about $670 million with available cash and assume $2 billion in AirTran debt. Southwest and AirTran said the new airline will operate from more than 100 different airports and serve more than 100 million customers.

The eldery who need Travel Companions to assist them can contact www.CareToGoTravel.com

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Book Cheap Cruises For Seniors Now Reports A Phoenix Travel Companion

Cruises have always been a favorite trip for Seniors. Balmy air, tropical swaying trees, soft steel drum music,; what’s not to like. Aside from the great ambiance in the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico, there are several reasons to choose a cruise over other types of vacation for Seniors. First, it is a place totally geared for all the seniors needs including food, activities, housekeeping, medical services and more. It is so nice to unpack once and then watch the world pass by. Other favorite destinations for Cruises are Alaska and the Mediterranean for Greece and Italy etc.

Here is your opportunity to take that great vacation you have always wanted and be totally cared for and safe all the way. Cruise ships provide everything you need including; your room, all your food, lots of activities, a hospital and pharmacy, a concierge, lots of new people to meet or enjoy your solitude.

When you need a little extra assistance along the way, a Personal Travel Companion can escort you to be sure you are well taken care of. Now you can take that dream trip you have always wanted.

We all know that vacation tour prices including Cruises vary greatly. If you book through a travel agent, the Cruise Company, Orbits or a bulk Cruise buyer, the price varies greatly. When using a Travel Companion these prices can be easily compared and you can pick the best deal for you.

Speaking of a Travel Companion, you can now take a personal travel assistant with you to be sure that the trip goes smoothly. Your personal travel companion can travel with you all the way from your door and back again. How nice would it be to have professional assistance through the airport and flight, on the cruise and back again. One company providing Personal Travel Companions can be found at http://Care-To-Go.com

Low bookings for the cruise lines means a shipload of savings for you
Don’t let the storm-tossed economy discourage you from sailing on a cruise. With fewer people booking passage and more (and bigger) cruise ships being launched, cruising has become a buyer’s market. Here’s how to find the lowest fare at the best time.

Look for bulk buyers
Check out cruise consolidators, which buy large blocks of cabins from the cruise lines at a deep discount. Most of the deals don’t include airfare, but the savings are significant, and companies such as CruiseOne.com, CruiseBrothers.com, and Cruise.com feature dozens of discounted cruises around the world every week.

Don’t shrug off "shoulder season"
Rates are lower between peak and off-peak seasons, when fewer people are escaping winter. Try sailing to Alaska in mid-May or early September; to the Caribbean in late April or September and October; to Hawaii in late August, late November, February, or May; or to the Mediterranean in March or November. If you are interested in a long haul, check when the Cruise companies are moving ships for the season between the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or even the south Pacific. You may get a long trip for a very low price.

Check the school calendar
Avoid any time kids are on vacation, such as spring or summer break. That’s when the supply of empty cabins is usually the lowest—and prices for them are highest. Cruises are wildly affordable right after Labor Day and during the week after Thanksgiving, for example.

Wait…Wait… Okay, now book it!
If you don’t have a specific cruise date in mind, try waiting until the last minute to book online. Almost all cruise lines quietly unload any remaining inventory as the departure date draws closer. Note: "Last minute" doesn’t mean what it used to. Post-9/11 security regulations require cruise lines to close the list of passengers as much as 96 hours before sailing.

Keep That Sail a Sale
Cruise lines don’t make a profit on your cabin, so they try to separate you from your money the second they pull up the gangplank. Here’s how to keep your budget afloat.

Factor in tipping
Some cruise lines automatically add gratuities, while others still rely on passengers to make that decision. One helpful resource is cruisetip.tpkeller.com, which calculates the suggested tip per day for each major cruise line.

Stick with the main dining room
More and more cruise ships have specialty—restaurants to give passengers options beyond the cost—included main dining room and midnight buffet. But eating at one of the ships’ designer restaurants will run you extra: on Royal Caribbean International, for example, dinner at Chops Grille is $25 per guest.

Budget for booze
Don’t expect to bring your own. Most cruise lines frown on this, and some actually employ a "liquor retention team" to seize alcohol not purchased on board (the bottles are returned at the end of the cruise). Carnival now keeps your bags on a dock for several hours where they can search them, Be careful.

Have a fantastic trip!
For assistance in planning your Cruise or any other kind of travel contact Care-To-Go at 800-818-0407 or check the web at www.CareToGoTravel.com.

Book Cheap Cruises For Seniors Now Reports A Phoenix Travel Companion

Cruises have always been a favorite trip for Seniors. Balmy air, tropical swaying trees, soft steel drum music,; what’s not to like. Aside from the great ambiance in the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico, there are several reasons to choose a cruise over other types of vacation for Seniors. First, it is a place totally geared for all the seniors needs including food, activities, housekeeping, medical services and more. It is so nice to unpack once and then watch the world pass by. Other favorite destinations for Cruises are Alaska and the Mediterranean for Greece and Italy etc.

Here is your opportunity to take that great vacation you have always wanted and be totally cared for and safe all the way. Cruise ships provide everything you need including; your room, all your food, lots of activities, a hospital and pharmacy, a concierge, lots of new people to meet or enjoy your solitude.

When you need a little extra assistance along the way, a Personal Travel Companion can escort you to be sure you are well taken care of. Now you can take that dream trip you have always wanted.

We all know that vacation tour prices including Cruises vary greatly. If you book through a travel agent, the Cruise Company, Orbits or a bulk Cruise buyer, the price varies greatly. When using a Travel Companion these prices can be easily compared and you can pick the best deal for you.

Speaking of a Travel Companion, you can now take a personal travel assistant with you to be sure that the trip goes smoothly. Your personal travel companion can travel with you all the way from your door and back again. How nice would it be to have professional assistance through the airport and flight, on the cruise and back again. One company providing Personal Travel Companions can be found at http://Care-To-Go.com

Low bookings for the cruise lines means a shipload of savings for you
Don’t let the storm-tossed economy discourage you from sailing on a cruise. With fewer people booking passage and more (and bigger) cruise ships being launched, cruising has become a buyer’s market. Here’s how to find the lowest fare at the best time.

Look for bulk buyers
Check out cruise consolidators, which buy large blocks of cabins from the cruise lines at a deep discount. Most of the deals don’t include airfare, but the savings are significant, and companies such as CruiseOne.com, CruiseBrothers.com, and Cruise.com feature dozens of discounted cruises around the world every week.

Don’t shrug off "shoulder season"
Rates are lower between peak and off-peak seasons, when fewer people are escaping winter. Try sailing to Alaska in mid-May or early September; to the Caribbean in late April or September and October; to Hawaii in late August, late November, February, or May; or to the Mediterranean in March or November. If you are interested in a long haul, check when the Cruise companies are moving ships for the season between the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or even the south Pacific. You may get a long trip for a very low price.

Check the school calendar
Avoid any time kids are on vacation, such as spring or summer break. That’s when the supply of empty cabins is usually the lowest—and prices for them are highest. Cruises are wildly affordable right after Labor Day and during the week after Thanksgiving, for example.

Wait…Wait… Okay, now book it!
If you don’t have a specific cruise date in mind, try waiting until the last minute to book online. Almost all cruise lines quietly unload any remaining inventory as the departure date draws closer. Note: "Last minute" doesn’t mean what it used to. Post-9/11 security regulations require cruise lines to close the list of passengers as much as 96 hours before sailing.

Keep That Sail a Sale
Cruise lines don’t make a profit on your cabin, so they try to separate you from your money the second they pull up the gangplank. Here’s how to keep your budget afloat.

Factor in tipping
Some cruise lines automatically add gratuities, while others still rely on passengers to make that decision. One helpful resource is cruisetip.tpkeller.com, which calculates the suggested tip per day for each major cruise line.

Stick with the main dining room
More and more cruise ships have specialty—restaurants to give passengers options beyond the cost—included main dining room and midnight buffet. But eating at one of the ships’ designer restaurants will run you extra: on Royal Caribbean International, for example, dinner at Chops Grille is $25 per guest.

Budget for booze
Don’t expect to bring your own. Most cruise lines frown on this, and some actually employ a "liquor retention team" to seize alcohol not purchased on board (the bottles are returned at the end of the cruise). Carnival now keeps your bags on a dock for several hours where they can search them, Be careful.

Have a fantastic trip!
For assistance in planning your Cruise or any other kind of travel contact Care-To-Go at 800-818-0407 or check the web at www.CareToGoTravel.com.

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

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 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.

Seniors Busted at Airport Security—Phoenix based Care-To-Go Travel Companion Reports Hidden Weapons

Many senior travelers are being caught in security checkpoints because of hidden swords in their canes.

It seems that lots of seniors buy canes at Good Will or flea markets and are unaware of hidden swords inside the cane.

The Wall Street Journal reports Since 2002, TSA screeners have found more than 200 canes concealing either swords or knives. Many of these incidents involve elderly travelers who are just as surprised as the security screeners to find sabers hidden inside canes they may have inherited, found at antique shops, or received from charities. In September alone, four such incidents occurred according to documents provided by the TSA.

Using a Travel Companion from Care-To-Go can help seniors travel safely and with less hassle. www,CareToGoTravel.com