If you and an elderly loved one have plans to take a trip together in the near future, there are a lot of things that you’ll want to plan for and take care of in order for everything to go off smoothly. One of the first big hurdles that you’ll have to take on together will be getting through the airport and onto the plane toward your destination.
While small airports can be fairly easy to manage for most healthy elderly people, if you’re going to be traveling through a large airport or your elderly loved one has health issues or needs care like assisted living, there are likely going to be more issues that could arise. So to help you effectively navigate this, here are three tips to make air travel easier when traveling with an elderly loved one.
Use An Airport Wheelchair
One of the biggest issues with getting around an airport is actually physically getting from the parking lot to the ticket counters to security and to your gate. All of this walking, especially if it’s a busy time and you’re having to maneuver your way around lots of other people and wait in long lines, can be very hard on the body.
Knowing this, it’s wise to use an airport wheelchair for your elderly loved one. Even if they don’t normally use or need a wheelchair, using a wheelchair in the airport will ensure that they save their strength and that they have somewhere to sit in the event that seating is limited around your gate.
Get The TSA Pre-Check
Depending on when you’re flying and how busy the airport is that you’re using, lines to get through security can be long.
To avoid having to deal with this, consider getting TSA Pre-Check for your loved one. By doing this, your elderly loved one will be able to keep a lot of their clothes on and belongings with them while also likely having a shorter line to have to stand in to get through security. But even without this, those over the age of 75 don’t have to take off their shoes in security, which can make things easier.
Bring Along Safety And Health Essentials
The time spent in the airport and on the plane should be planned for well when you’re traveling with an elderly person. For example, you’ll want to make sure that they are drinking enough water, eating frequently, have any medications that they might need, and can move their legs to avoid things like DVT. You may also want to pack things like hand sanitizer and wipes so that you can help your elderly loved one stay clean and healthy.
If you will be flying with an elderly loved one soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you two have a calm experience.
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