Tips for Traveling with a Disabled Family Member

Anyone with a severe disability – or their caretaker – knows that life can be difficult enough at home, even with access to advanced medical devices and equipment. The thought of leaving your safe space to travel for necessity or pleasure can be downright unimaginable and anxiety-inducing.

For those who are determined to travel with their loved ones, however, you should know that many people still manage to make it work every single day. Being prepared for mishaps and circumstances that may occur during the trip can go a long way in easing tensions and getting to where you’re going safely and comfortably.

Let’s go over some tips that can make your journey effortless, and even fun when traveling with a disabled family member.

Waste Capture and Disposal

Those who aren’t able to control their bowel or bladder movements are rarely able to venture far from a toilet without some help. Unexpected bathroom emergencies have to be dealt with quickly and cleaned up, which can be nigh on impossible while stuck in lines or traffic.

Thankfully, products designed to help deal with waste disposal are quite affordable and readily available. Urinals, bedpans, and collectors for traveling and vacations help make the process pain-free. Even with readily available facilities, your loved one may still lack adequate accommodations to go freely without portable urinals or a bedpan; having a female or male urinal option available on-the-go can make bathroom time a lot less stressful.

Preparing for Air Travel

Even the able-bodied can have extreme difficulties getting through airport terminals, passing through security and boarding their plane; it’s very important to plan ahead of time and familiarize yourself with the procedure for traveling with those who have special needs.

When packing for air travel, be sure to keep all essential medication and supplies on-hand in a carry-on bag to avoid emergencies that could arise. Letting the airport know ahead of time that you will be traveling with someone who requires accommodations or utilizes special needs programs can go a long way in making sure you have a stress-free check-in.

Pack Essentials and Backups

Leaving the house with inadequate supplies could spell disaster for your trip. Being caught out in the world without important tools and equipment can cost you more than just money. Packing checklists can go a long way in preventing an emergency situation: go over it frequently and add supplies as you think of them. Planning ahead of time will prevent accidents and make your life much easier whether traveling by car, plane, bus or boat.

Expect the Unexpected

It’s important to understand that even the most thought-out plans can go horribly wrong, so you must be prepared for unexpected events. Embracing the fact that you will run into problems along the way while traveling with a disabled family member can help ease the stress and mental burden when issues arise. As you make more trips and learn more about traveling with your loved one, your experience will reduce the stress and difficulty of the excursion.

Planning your trip well ahead of time and approaching everything with an open mind is important when traveling with your disabled loved one. Flexibility and quick thinking can avert disaster and prevent trip-ruining consequences. Preparation is key before ever stepping foot outside your home to ensure a smooth and safe trip – use these tips to help make your experience a better one!

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