Whether you’re taking a senior parent on vacation with you or going to a holiday celebration there are a lot of things that you need to plan for any time you are going away with a senior parent. The more prepared you are for anything that might happen the smoother the trip will be because you have anticipated as many problems or situations as possible. You might consider bringing along their home care aide to help your senior during the trip.
There are a lot of things that you should bring on a vacation with a senior loved one but four of the most important are:
Medical Records
You should keep a copy of your senior loved one’s medical records, a list of the medications that they currently take, and their insurance card or insurance information easily accessible and with you at all times. If your senior loved one has a medical emergency and you are on the road or far away from where they live it will save time if you have those pieces of information for local doctors to look at. It also will ensure that your senior loved one gets the most appropriate care in an emergency.
An Essentials Bag that their Home Care Aide could Manage for them
An essentials bag is different from a suitcase or whatever your senior parent has all their clothes and shoes and other items in. An essentials bag should be kept with you at all times so that you can access it fast if necessary. An essentials bag for a senior should have several clean disposable briefs, personal wipes or baby wipes, a clean set of clothes, any medication that they might need in an emergency like heart medication or an asthma inhaler, and a first aid kit. It’s also a good idea to keep some laundry wipes or a laundry pen in the bag in case of spills.
Extra Medication
Seniors may lose their medication, leave it behind at a hotel, or have it packed so deeply in their bags that they can’t access it when they need it. You should keep any medication that they need to take daily with you or in your own bag so that you always know where it is and won’t lose it. It can be a big hassle to get medications refilled on the road so if there are medications that your senior has to have every day without fail you should ask the doctor to ok some extra medication that you can keep with you in case the other medication gets misplaced or gets left behind.
Protein Drinks
There’s not always a good place to stop for a bite to eat, but seniors who are experiencing low blood sugar can become very sick very quickly. It’s a good idea to keep some protein drinks within reach so that if your senior loved one has a blood sugar crash or needs something to eat they can have a protein drink even if you’re driving or flying. The protein will help them stay full for a while without causing a sugar crash like a high-carbohydrate snack can cause.