Just because you’re getting older, doesn’t mean you have to stop exploring the world around you. In fact, it’s often seniors who travel the most because they don’t have work commitments and have access to retirement savings that they can spend on seeing the world. While everyone needs to be safe when traveling, it’s especially important for seniors, who often have more physical limitations than younger people. If you’re a senior and you’re planning on traveling soon, here are three key safety tips.
Travel insurance
Getting travel insurance is essential, in fact it should be right at the top of your senior vacation checklist. People of all ages should be insured when they travel, of course, but it’s especially important for seniors to be insured. The downside is that the older you get, the more expensive travel insurance becomes. This is because the way travel insurance companies see it, the older you are, the more likely you are to have some sort of medical condition and the more likely you are to fall, get sick or have extended hospital stays. Even though it may be quite costly, it’s always best to be covered as medical bills in foreign countries can be alarmingly high.
Theft prevention
Whether you travel to a big, bustling city or a peaceful, secluded village, there’s always the chance of thefts taking place. Because seniors are generally less strong and quick to respond, they may well be considered easy targets by thieves. The best thing you can do to avoid being targeted by thieves is to not advertise or flaunt your wealth. In other words, don’t wear expensive clothing and don’t show off any valuables you might have. It’s also a good idea not to travel around at night and not to go traveling alone.
Medication
Seniors typically need more medication than younger people and it’s important they keep on top of their medication management at all times. Always carry medication with you in your hand luggage and when you’re not in your hotel room, make sure they’re kept somewhere safe and out of sight. Be sure to take more of each medication than you’ll actually need: if, for example, you’re going to be away for a week, take two weeks’ worth of everything. That way, if your flight gets delayed or something else happens to extend your vacation, you should have enough medication with you. The last thing you want is to run out while traveling, as medications in other countries may be costly and you might not be able to get what you need straight away.
Seniors shouldn’t have to stop traveling just because they’re getting older. They may have to be a bit more cautious and think about their safety more, but the world’s still very much their oyster.