Planning a family vacation around a disabled senior parent is never going to be straightforward. However, with the right mindset and a positive attitude, anything is possible. Get to know the most common challenges and how to handle them alongside where the most supportive locations will be in the guide below.
Understand the Needs
Every disabled person has varying needs when it comes to traveling. They may require mobility assistance, medication support, or even things like service animals to accompany them on the trip. Whatever the case may be, it has to be considered in the planning stage. Understanding their needs will make everyone feel safer and increase confidence in dealing with what’s to come.
Disabled Friendly Accommodation
For a seamless, comfortable experience, it is beneficial to research disabled-friendly accommodation options. While The Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits any hotel or accommodation from discriminating against disabled seniors, there are definitely locations that are more suitable than others. This bit will require some heavy research and diving into disabled-specific review sections to gather all of the necessary facts. If you are ever in doubt, do not hesitate to get in touch with a prospective accommodation option to talk through your concerns and queries. This will be the best way to put your mind at rest.
The Travel Bit
When it comes to the actual travel part of the trip, it is vital that every consideration is taken on board and has a plan in place. There are useful services that provide non emergency medical transportation support for disabled seniors, and this is a good place to start. Make sure they have all the necessary documents and that there is something with them from start to finish to help manage anxiety and take care of basic travel checklists.
Location Is Key
It is also essential that any location you are going to has disabled people’s best interests at the core. This is because you don’t want to leave your senior relative out of any activities or social time, as they will have a dampened experience as a result. It is possible to find places that have disabled friendly recreational events for the whole family, and this will make sure that the trip is filled with incredible memories for everyone to share.
Communication Is Key
Talking to your relative about their needs is a great way to get the holiday going on the right foot. This will make them feel both validated and heard throughout the planning process and ensure that the destination is fun for everyone going on the trip. Communication is easier when both sides are open to listening and acting on one another’s concerns or anxieties. This will ensure that the booking and planning stages consider everything that needs to be talked about and that everyone will be looking forward to an entertaining, inclusive time ahead.
Organizing a family vacation with a disabled relative in the group brings additional challenges, but nothing that is ever insurmountable. There are lots of suitable locations and accommodation options out there if you plan ahead and research thoroughly.
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