Seniors Site

Traveling is fun, however, air travel can pose many health issues to seniors. It seems that as we age, our bodies undergo some changes as well, particularly it being not too conducive for air travels anymore. But, that should not mean we would be house-bound and not enjoy the many possibilities of air travel anymore! Here are some tips and tricks for seniors who would like to travel by air and stay healthy at the same time:
•    Consult your doctor first before you go on a trip. Are you safe to go? Should there be differences when it comes to your medications during your trip? Is it safe for you to travel by air? Ask these questions so you’ll know what to do in case of an emergency.
•    Hand-carry your medications and keep them within reach at all times. Make sure you bring enough supply to last you the whole trip and a little extra for emergency purposes. Never rely on local drugstores upon arrival as they may or may not carry your brand.
•    Put together a list of your existing health conditions and tuck it safely inside your wallet, alongside your IDs. This way, you are sure that the people who would attend to you will see at once what they are supposedly dealing with.
•    Once on-board, DO NOT take alcoholic drinks as well as caffeinated ones, instead go for water—lots of it—to avoid dehydration.
•    Chew a gum during take offs and landings. This will ease sinus and ear pressure discomfort during those times.
•    Wear supportive stockings or compression stockings during flights and whenever possible, move around. This will counteract immobility which can lead to blood clots.
•    Ask your doctor if you’ll need oxygen so you can notify the airline in advance. Remember that you are not allowed to bring your own so you really need to ask the airline to have it ready for you.
•    Go buy yourself a good walking aid. A collapsible one would be your best bet so you won’t have a hard time bringing it with you on a trip.
•    To combat motion sickness, avoid boarding the plane with a full stomach and try to relax during the flight. Sleep, if it helps you.
•    Jet lag is one of the most common complaints of air traveler. You can ask your doctor for safe sleeping aids like melatonin or perhaps herbal preparations to help you reestablish your sleeping pattern.

Riding the public transportation can be tough and it requires certain amount of “superhuman” powers such as “perfect” hand-eye coordination, “uncanny” motor skills, and “unbelievable” dexterity! Well, that’s not to mention your ability to make yourself look like you know exactly what you are doing and not appear gullible or lost during the ride itself. All these things make it harder for seniors to bear public transportation especially if they have already given up driving. Unfortunately, if seniors want to go places, they are left with such limited choices, unless you are up for knee-breaking walks!
Here are some handy tips to stay safe when using public transportation and well, come home in one piece:
·    Watch your step—especially in places where there are such signs! Also, don’t get too comfortable in places, no matter how familiar they are to you. It is important to always keep watch of the floor you are walking, be aware of the slippery ones and uneven pavement to prevent accidents from happening.
·    Avoid unnecessary movements while onboard, especially in trains. Doing so can call unwanted attention and can also throw you off balance.–two of the things you might want to avoid. Also, make sure you keep your head together when riding a bus, because it tends to suddenly stop and make sharp turns.
·    Do it slowly but surely–when riding the bus, stepping out of it or even when crossing the street. Avoid counterflows and never try to do “acrobatic” acts trying to beat an already closing train door. If a train is already overflowing with people inside, seniors should skip this one and just wait for the next train.
·    Leave excess baggage at home. Your hands must be free to support your balance anytime you need to. Also, use bags that will cling to your body instead of you holding them all the time. If you need to take home a package, have it delivered. Consider it as one less thing to mind.
·    Always mind the gap when getting in and out of the train. Bear in mind that there is always a gap between the train and the platform as they don’t come in one piece (in case you haven’t notice that!) if you are not too careful, you can trip on it or worse, get your foot stuck on one of them!
·    Try to avoid wandering around at night. You are most likely to avoid crimes and unlikely incidents if you just stay home during the night.
·    Ride in groups. Safety in numbers, seniors should remember that.

When you’re planning to travel, the first two things you need to consider is, first, the location or the destination and second, is if you would like to do it on your own or just join a tour group or a guided tour. Each of course, has their own pros and cons, it can even affect your travel budget tremendously, so if there is a restriction on your travel budget, this is one huge section of the travel where you can make a difference!
For the benefit of traveling seniors, here are some point you need to consider to help you decide whether to join group tours or just plan your trips on your own:
PROS:
·    CONVENIENCE.  Tired of doing all those research and map consultations just to plan your next trip? Then might as well sign up with group tours, choose your itinerary, pay your trip and just show up on time for departure. Highly recommended if this is your first time visiting the said destination.
·    SECURITY. This is true if you signed up with a reputable tour group company, greater if they specifically cater to seniors. Seniors traveling alone must also consider joining one than doing it on your own, unless you are familiar with the area you are going to.
·    COST EFFECTIVE. Group tours usually come in discounted rates—and it doesn’t apply only to airfares, they are most likely to include tour guide, transportation, hotel and meals. Group tours are charged per trip, not individualized.
·    EASY ACCESS TO PLACES. Group tours, like your grandchild’s field trips, are given easy access to popular tourist spots since your tour group company most likely “reserved” a specific time for your group, eliminating the possibility of standing in line for hours!
CONS:
·    TIME FLEXIBILITY is probably next to zero. Upon joining, seniors will be introduced to a pre-set itinerary, complete with time and dates which you have to observe at all times. You cannot just leave a place when you’re bored or linger a little longer if you enjoy the scene, you need to stick with your pack.
·    LIMITED FREE TIME. Group tours usually start very early and end too late, leaving you only evenings to do shopping or visit places on your own.
·    NEVER PERSONALIZED TOURS. Given that you are touring with a group, never expect the tour to always consider your strength and weaknesses such as a bad knee and other health issues you may have.
·    NO PRIVACY. Group tours, well, they do things as a group: you share a bus, lodge in the same hotel, share meals, climb the same steps.. If the idea behind the trip is to have a second honeymoon of sorts with your partner then group tours are certainly not for you!

RV travels are road trips of the next level! RV trips are always memorable and amazing and it sure does save you, the traveler, a lot of money. Also, it’s flexible enough for spur-of-the-moment trips and even for impromptu ones. The gypsy in me has always dreamed of living this way, only the boundaries of reality don’t permit such. So for me, every RV trip is special and I take it as my one-time token to wonderland where everything is forgotten and each day is spent living like it’s your last!
RV, motor home, trailer—whatever you call your mobile home, is certainly a must for seniors nowadays! According to statistics, there are about millions of RV owners in America alone, and half of it belongs to the senior group! Furthermore, as reported by RV sellers, about 3 out of 5 inquiries come from older adults–retired and near-retirement. When asked, a senior is most likely to tell you that the sense of freedom it gives and the adventurous nature of it compel them to acquire or rent one. RV trips are certainly gaining popularity these days amongst seniors!
What’s great with RV travel is that it provides much-needed bonding time for families and indeed for partners without breaking your wallet. It can be short trips, long distance ones and even just to enjoy outdoors.  Campgrounds for RVs are never a problem in the US as there are many of them out there, both public and private grounds. Plus, you can pick whatever rocks your boat too, from ocean view, nature trails to recreational sites. The only limit would be those “No Overnight RV Parking” signs!
For seniors who are interested with RV travel, here are some tips to get you by:
·    Travel plan, or even a rough draft of where you are supposed to go. While it’s so tempting to just hit the road and fly like a blind bee, it still pays to have even a rough plan of your trip just to have some semblance of organization. Most importantly, know the points within your trip where you can park safely overnight. Try a GPS system just to be sure.
·    Double check the things you need. First and foremost, your RV must provide comfort when the need be. While on the road, your trip must focus on the sights to see and places to visit, not on how and where you’ll get your necessities. Before you hit the road, make sure your RV is properly hooked up with systems like gas, water and electricity.
·    Pack in your emergency kit too! Emergency medical kit is a must.
·    Scour thousands of RV travel guides online. Since RV travels are popular nowadays, there are many websites offering travel guides for RV enthusiasts like you—made by, who else but professional RV travelers who have been hitting the road for quite sometime now. Print them if you like, for reference.
·    As much as possible, go for senior-friendly locations. They provide more security for travelling seniors and sometimes they come with discounts. Find them online.

Staycation is definitely over! Just one look outside and you’ll see why! It’s such a wonderful day to be wasted staying at home and cleaning your pantry, go ahead.. go out and have fun—with or without money!
In actuality, you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the outdoors—don’t even have to scratch your whole month paycheck for a vacation! Here are some tips on how to travel cheap this spring:
·    Traveling by air? No problem, surf the internet—or have someone do it for you if you are not too familiar with it—and there you’ll find awesome travel deals and packages for spring offered by travel agencies. Do some serious shopping first before picking the best because there are loads and loads out there to choose from!
·    Ditch your travel guide books and get to know the locals more. This way you’ll get first-hand info where the cheap-but-best finds in their area. For safety reasons though, do your little research before you go just to familiarize yourself of their neighborhood or what areas you must to avoid.
·    Bring your own snacks and drinks especially if you’re travelling by road. These things tend to be crazy expensive arriving at your destination and I really don’t know why..
·    Hunt down local grocery stores and supermarkets upon arrival. This would be your greatest source of nourishment for days to come. When you do, stock up on your necessities such as bottled water, chips, convenience food and whatnot.
·    Inspect the place you’re occupying. As much as possible, go for the ones with kitchens—at the very least, an electric kettle where you can boil your own water and fridge to keep your stock fresh.
·    If your allowance is really killing you, limit yourself to one-dine-out meal per day. It could be lunch or dinner, depending on your preferences. Other meals you enjoy inside your room.
·    Visit family and friends. Boy they’d be glad to see you! Which in your end means, free board and lodging for a couple of days. Isn’t that sweet?
·    Consider exchange rates. If you are traveling outside of your country, make sure you are familiar with their exchange rates, or at least how much things cost converted to your currency. This way you can plan your budget ahead.
·    Choose destinations that are not too popular with tourists during spring breaks. The world is made of vast lands, I’m sure there are many hidden treasures out there, you just have to find them.
·    Bring some friends. This way you can share travel expenses with them and at the same time, have lots of fun during the trip.

If you want my honest to goodness answer, then I would have to say NEVER. It is clearly a no-no for anyone at any age i.e whether you’re a new driver, drunk driver and most of all, a senior driver. Night driving can never be safe. However, there are circumstances that will force us to drive at night no matter how much we detest doing it. Those who still own the steering wheel to and fro work are most likely to find themselves driving at night—even under horrible conditions, unfortunately, it’s a risk we all need to take.
Self regulation is the key to safe driving. It has always been said that it is only ourselves who know exactly what we can and cannot do. While it’s so hard to part ways with our beloved car keys, caregivers or even bothered relatives may confiscate our car keys just because they have proven to themselves that we are already a risk to the society if we continue on driving recklessly. So in order for us to still enjoy this little pleasure in life, we must practice safe driving and that includes not driving at night right?..
One problem that most seniors have when driving at night is poor visibility. Really, it’s hard to see dark things when it’s all blended. Same with gray things when its dusk or dawn. Personally, I don’t drive during “gray hours” as I find it doubly hard to see things than driving at night. I would rather drive with the sun up or let the “gray hours” pass before driving. This, I come to realize during my learning-how-to-drive years and never did I attempt to break my driving cycle, not even once.
Lately, I’m having trouble with night driving as well so I checked out a couple of eyeglasses to help me see better at night. Aside from the usual prescription glasses, I was offered a night vision driving glasses as well as the anti-glare ones. Never a compulsive buyer, I backed down overwhelmed, but promised the good salesman that I will be back with a definite decision. Right now, I am still doing my research.
Meanwhile, I am practicing safer night driving techniques nowadays. For visually-impaired seniors like me, I would like to share these tips and hopefully—like me again—someday we could afford those expensive but spanking hot eyeglasses to help us see the light even if it’s pitch-dark!
·    Turn those headlights on, even if there’s still half-a-sun out there. It won’t cost you any additional fees anyway so why not take advantage of it?
·    If you feel sleepy, do yourself justice and stop wherever safe. Call a reliable friend and let them come and pick you up. This, or you avoid going out late at night!
·    Keep your act together. There should be no room for scatterbrains when driving at night. Stay alert at all times.

One of hardest, heart-breaking moment when you are about to go on an exciting trip is when you have to leave someone you so dearly love behind, i.e. your pet! Sometimes I even find myself cancelling a trip just because it would be too much of an inconvenience for me and my dog. I must say, I have an obvious inclination to travel destinations wherein pets are very much welcomed and accommodated. For a quick getaway with your pet, your best bet would be to go camping and of course, via road trip. By far, the most distressing for both pet and pet owners would be air travels especially if you happen to fly with a nasty airline requiring all pets to be checked as baggage! That would mean your pet is to fly alone in somewhere dark and God knows what! You, on the other hand, won’t be able to sleep a wink nor rest your worried mind.
While it is indeed joyful to spend your vacations with your pet, it is always wise to consult their vets prior to travelling especially if this is their first time to go on a trip. Many pets have shown unpredictable behavior that is completely different from what we’re used to when subjected to a trip.
Vets explain that when pets travel, they are subjected to stress, particularly when in unfamiliar condition. The only thing that will calm them down is if they see their owner or if the owner himself assures the pet that everything’s alright. In truth, your pets really enjoy travelling especially with you, it’s just that they feel threatened when something unusual comes along. Sometimes, it could also be the excitement of finding himself in a new place with lots to explore. These “new” feelings can sometimes trigger unpredictable behavior to your pet.
So how would you know if your pet is ready to travel? Here are some basic points you need to consider to determine if your pet is good enough:
·    Consider the size and nature of your pet and the type of trip you are about to take. Your pet should have enough room to move around. Aside from that, you should be in close proximity to your pet at all times, especially if this is his first. Gauge the nature of your pet: is he behaving well in cages? Would he require space when travelling? Does he possess a nature that is easily provoked and distracted?
·    Your travel destination. Some travel spots have pet restriction. You might want to know more about these areas before bringing Fido there.
·    Health status of your pet. Of course, a visit to the vet is never a bad idea when your pet is about to travel. Your pet should receive a clean bill of health otherwise he should stay home.
·    Your pet’s level of obedience. Remember that you and your pet are not the only ones in this trip. There are millions of people you are about to meet and you can never tell how your pet will react. Be sure that he knows exactly what to do in such cases, or at least, heed your call when told.

Single and alone? Nah. Seniors today can be single but definitely not alone come holiday season and there’s no reason to be lonely as well. Gone are the days when seniors mourn to death after a loved-one has gone. Of course, they will not be forgotten but it seems, seniors nowadays are more ready to move on and not dwell longer than one should. Thanks to healthier lives and positive outlook, being single later in life is not anymore considered as unique, in fact, some seniors who encountered a bad marriage in their midlife prefer to stay single until the day they die. Not for fear of having yet another bad partner but just because they have learned to live happily on their own.

There are many ways to enjoy the holiday season even without having to feel like a third wheel to your married friends or ending up as a nanny to your grandkids. Here are some few suggestions that you might want to try:

·    If your vacationing kids are not inviting you for an out-of-town trip this holiday season, then leave them be. Plan your own trip with your single friends and see how fun it can be! There are many tourist destinations that you can check out today at very affordable rates.
·    Most travel packages come with itinerary. These are fun activities to know better the destination you are in. Usually, they are conducted in groups of mix and matched people which can also be a great way to meet new acquaintances. What better way to enjoy your vacation than meeting new friends along the way right? Just think of the possibilities!
·    If going out-of-town is not an option for you right now, then you might want to look into other fun activities around your area. You can also take advantage of this special time to rejuvenate yourself by going to relaxation therapy sessions or just doing the things you love to do. If, for some reason, being alone scares you, you might want to visit an orphanage and share your blessings there.
·    Being a senior need not be boring. Visit exotic cities and get ready to be captured by its very essence. A city that is full of life never fails to amuse even the loneliest heart.
·    You have every right to celebrate even if you are a single senior. Bear in mind that you are not alone as more and more seniors are moving in to singletown looking for friendship. Also, happiness is a choice. It is your decision to stay happy or not so use it well.

Imagine driving almost your entire lifetime, dodging every traffic ticket there is, knowing the road even if you drive blindfolded and virtually conducting your everyday tasks and jobs inside your car. As an evidence, one look inside your old, trusty car and one would know what kind of business you’re running nowadays. Above all these, the connection between you and your car have grown through the years and come to think of it, your relationship with your car even surpassed that of your first spouse! If you feel this way, then you’re certainly not alone for there are thousands of senior drivers unable to will themselves away from their cars and would rather drive even if the situation has become more dangerous for them to do so.

There have been several posts in this blog about safe driving for seniors but nothing beats a refresher course conducted by the experts. Due to many road incidents concerning senior drivers, and also the great concern expressed by their family and friends, organizations who look after the welfare of older adults are now moving to make the road a safer place for seniors nowadays. We all know how age-related physical changes can affect one’s driving skill, no matter the amount of years-experience they acquired. Not only are these seniors putting themselves in a very dangerous situation but also they pose a great threat to pedestrians, other drivers and the road in general. This is how important a refresher course is to driving seniors.

Various organizations such as AAA, and AARP offer materials, seminars and short courses to assist driving seniors and hopefully make them “fit for the road” once again. There are also online courses for those who are unable to physically make it to classes and workshops and it was said to be as helpful and accurate as the ones taught in classes. However, class instructors encourage seniors to participate in real classes since it provides interaction between the instructor and the student. Included in these classes are age-appropriate and defensive driving tips that are perfectly suitable for seniors. Also, instructors encourage seniors to accept their limitations early on to avoid difficult situations from happening.

Driving schools are now offering refresher courses that actually put seniors behind the wheel to show them how to properly drive and work with their limitations such as changing lanes or staying in appropriate speed lanes. Some programs go as far as evaluating the driver medically for easy-spotting of problems. Most organizations offer them for free while others can go as high as $20.

Come economic crisis and global recession, we seniors need not be stuck at home waiting for the right time to fly and travel. We, seniors should not wait. Never. Traveling is fun and it is a surefire stressbuster, guaranteed to recharge anyone’s tired mind, body and soul.

In fact, studies have found that traveling really does something to a person’s level of productivity, especially if he or she had a good time during the trip. Traveling may cost too much nowadays but let’s face it, it’s an activity that needs to be done—and fast! Afterall, we owe it to our own bodies.

Below are money-saving tips for your next planned trip. They are quite simple and easy to do which guarantee a good stretch for your travel money without sacrificing your trip’s quality:

·    All prescription medications and even OTC ones should be filled up prior to the trip. As much as possible, bring an ample amount to cover the whole trip. These are the ones you need but not necessarily mean you should buy them out of the country. Prices of medications vary from one country to another and there’s a chance that a country doesn’t carry your medications at all.
·    Things to carry along with you:  guide book, map and a dictionary which translates local words for you. The first two, you can buy when you get there since they are much cheaper when you do so. If you are a techie person, you would know that these things are accessible through your phone, BBs, laptops and any other gadgets you might have.
·    Go for B&B when choosing a place to stay instead of staying in a hotel. Local B&Bs are friendly, warm and more intimate—cheaper too!
·    When dining out, hunt down local restaurants and try to stay away from the ones with tourists in mind. Local restaurants which cater primarily to local residents are much cheaper and the quality is evidently better.
·    Try to stay away from peak seasons when traveling because they cost way too much in terms of airfares, and accommodations.
·    It is not bad to buy your food in a grocery store when out traveling. Buy your snacks and beverages in supermarkets and grocery stores like you would back home. If you are staying in a place that has its own kitchen, take advantage of that too by cooking your own food. Dine out only if you want to.
·    When staying at the heart of the city, do without a car. You won’t need them anyway since it is much better to tour the city by walking around. You can call the rental service anytime when the need arises.
·    Call a friend—that is if he resides in the area. A local at your disposal is a guide book, emergency money and tipster all rolled into one.