Seniors And Air Travel

The younger generations are eager to explore the world, take on all of the sights and bask in the cultures of foreign climes. With air travel now being as widespread as it is, individuals do have the opportunity to see places that older generations never dreamed of visiting. However, that is not to say that seniors should not have the opportunity to enjoy their retirement by seeing some of the world. Indeed, everyone should visit a far off country if for no other reason than to exploit his or her freedom!

It is understandable that many seniors are wary of flying. It can be a frightening experience if you have never done it before or if you are planning to take a longer trip than you normally would. However, the thought of it should not put you off. Aircraft are safer than ever at the moment, with rigorous checks in place to ensure that all safety standards are met. In fact, the experience can be quite pleasurable. You just have to relax and ensure that your preparations are complete before you set foot inside the airport.

All seniors should have a health check before they book a flight and then again in the week before travelling. This is to ensure that you are completely healthy and there will be no health complications to ruin your trip. You should have a routine check that consists of a blood pressure check, brief eye exam and a chat about any recent health problems you may or may not have encountered at the very minimum. You should also ask your doctor about medication routines before you fly.

Some drugs may increase the chances of blood clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis, occurring and your doctor will be able to advise you on the risks and precautions to take with this sort of medication. He or she will also be able to advise you on a medication routine that would fit in with the time zone you are travelling to so that regular doses are being taken when necessary. Make sure that you bring your medication on board with you. You should have enough to last for at least three or four days just in case the other supplies that you check at the airport get lost with your luggage. Never take a flight with just enough medication to last until you land. Similarly, if you are epileptic, asthmatic or diabetic, always take your medication onboard with you. You never know when you may need it, but always inform the travel and flight company a couple of days before you have to fly so that they are expecting you with that medication.

Going back to deep vein thrombosis, it can be more common in the more vulnerable and so seniors should take extra precautions. Firstly, invest in a pair of flight socks or stockings. Flight stockings are special socks that are like surgical stockings. They are designed to be tight in order to stimulate blood flow and thus should at least be worn to just above the knee, although it is advisable that seniors wear them to at least mid-thigh.

When you are actually on the flight, you should move at least once every hour, whether it means a trip to the bathroom or just walking up and down the cabin a couple of times. This will encourage blood flow and thus prevent blood clots occurring. However, if you are unable to get out of your seat regularly, there are some exercises that you can do in your seat. Cycle your feet every twenty minutes and pull your knees up as far as you can between ten and twenty times. Again, this encourages the blood to flow, whether you do it for two minutes or ten minutes every hour or so. It is all about movement!

As you can see, taking a flight as a senior requires a lot of forward planning. It is not as simple as just booking and hopping on a flight. You must make sure that you are prepared before you actually get on the flight. There are real hazards for seniors when flying, but that should not put you off. If you prepare well then there is no reason why anything should not go according to plan.