Over 115 million Americans will travel this holiday season. Dealing with traffic and unsafe driving conditions common during this time of year can be stressful. If you are traveling with a senior citizen, you will need to make sure they are comfortable during the trip. Failing to properly prepare for your road trip can be disastrous for everyone involved.
Before you embark on your holiday trip, here are some things you need to do to ensure a safe experience.
Encourage Your Elderly Loved One to Visit Their Doctor
Familiarizing yourself with the health conditions an elderly loved one has before going on a trip with them is a wise move. If you are familiar with their past health issues, you can alter parts of your trip to accommodate the senior citizen onboard. Talking to a senior citizen before the trip and encouraging them to go to their doctor for a checkup is a must.
If a senior citizen visits their doctor before the trip, they can get a clean bill of health before getting in the car. This will also provides a senior citizen with an opportunity to get refills on their medicine. While going to an appointment with a doctor is time-consuming, it is definitely worth the effort. If your elderly loved one is getting help from an in-home care service, you need to speak with the nurse that visits their home. By speaking with this nurse, you can get information regarding their daily routine and important medical information that you may not be aware of.
Take Time To Create a Travel Plan
The key component of a successful traveling experience is having an adequate plan in place. If you are traveling with a senior citizen, you need to plan for plenty of stops along the way. Trying to drive for hours on end without breaks can lead to a senior citizen developing cramps and aches. You also need to think about breaking up a long trip into a few days’ worth of driving.
Stopping along the way and resting in a motel for a night allows a senior citizen to recuperate. When taking long trips, you need to split up the driving responsibilities among the adults in the car. This will help you avoid getting exhausted while traveling across America.
Maintain a Prescription Schedule
Most senior citizens are on multiple medications at a time. Generally, these medications will have to be taken at a certain time of day. A medication may also require a person to eat food before consuming it. Getting the details of a senior’s prescription schedule is important when trying to keep them safe and healthy during the trip. Using technology like Google Calendars can help you create digital alerts on your phone to ensure you remember to remind your elderly loved one to take their medicine.
We Provide In-Home Care
If your elderly loved one needs some help performing daily activities, contact Like Family Home Care to find out about the in-home care services we offer.
