Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: The Best Vacations for Seniors with Limited Mobility
Narration provided by Wondervox.
Reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources
By
There is often a misconception that your life becomes dull and monotonous as you age. On the contrary, the itch to be a globe trekker only gets stronger with age, as you become eager to cross off items off your bucket list.
You may be discouraged because of mobility issues or, as a caregiver, may feel that the idea of traveling with a loved one with a disability may be more stressful than relaxing. The good news is you shouldn’t refrain from enjoying the beautiful years post-retirement or miss the opportunity to explore new cultures.
While it may require some planning, there is no shortage of vacations for seniors with limited mobility and their caregivers. In this article, we share some of the best vacation spots, along with ideas about how to get the most out of your travels.
Vacation Spots and Ideas to Consider
Philadelphia
A beautiful city with plenty of accessible museums, restaurants, historic sites, hotels, and restaurants, Philadelphia has plenty going for it. When you’re getting around in the city, you can choose to reach your destination via the transportation authority offering wheelchair-accessible buses with lifts and ramps.
Plus, seniors can ride the Philly PHLASH, which provides free visits to historic sites. Sites include the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, Penn’s Landing, the Philadelphia Zoo, and more. Take advantage of the city’s trolley tours, where you can see the sights from the comfort of the bus. Be sure to avoid the winter months, as Philadelphia is best when it’s warm.
Oahu, Hawaii
Famous for its beautiful beaches and tropical weather, the Hawaiian island of Oahu has all-terrain wheelchairs available at Kailua Beach Park, Ala Moana Beach, and more. These wheelchairs easily make Oahu one of the best vacation spots for seniors with limited mobility who have an adventurous streak.
At Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, you can watch dolphins or attend sunset dinner cruises where you can reserve a beach-friendly wheelchair. You might also visit the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum or the Iolani Palace, the former home to the last monarch. April, May, September, and October seem to be the best months to visit to balance out rainfall and warm, but tolerable weather.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sin City is known for its amazing entertainment, putting it on our list as one of the best vacations for seniors with limited mobility. Whether you wish to go sightseeing along the Vegas Strip or visit the shops next to Caesar’s Palace, there will never be a shortage of wheelchair-friendly activities.
The iconic resort, Bellagio, is known for its choreographed fountain, casino, and high-end buffets, offering accessible rooms with shower chairs, lowered amenities, and roll-in showers. Avoid the dreadful summer months, which can put any senior at risk for dehydration or a heat stroke.
Cruises
This list would be incomplete if we didn’t include cruises, which attract seniors like white on rice and bees to honey. A fraction of the passengers have even mastered the art of living on cruises, going from one to the next. Many cruises cater to older adults with disabilities and provide a range of accommodations and amenities.
Royal Caribbean Symphony is the largest cruise ship in the world, but there are many. You can visit the cruiseline’s own website first to get familiar with their routes, price range, and amenities. Then, cross-reference your top routes against good deals on Vacationstogo.com or Cruiseplum.com. Virtually every cruise ship has accessible pools with lift chairs, accessible cabins, roll-in showers, and easily folding shower benches. The Royal Caribbean has an accessible layout, a lift for outdoor pools, washrooms, and resources for hearing and visual disabilities.
Testing for COVID-19 ahead of the cruise is no longer required. However, all guests must ensure they are medically and physically fit. Look to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for detailed guidelines on which vaccines and health screenings may be required.
Physical disabilities and chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease are not barriers to cruising – health restrictions are mainly to prevent someone who is clearly febile and infectious from boarding and spreading an infectious disease. We recommend you check with your healthcare provider to verify what is most appropriate for you.
Top things to know before boarding a cruise.
- Ensure to have the proper forms of identification.
- COVID-19 vaccination is not required.
- Pre-cruise testing is no longer needed
About Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
Founder of Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resouces
Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH is a gerontologist born in San Diego and raised on both sides of the U.S-Mexico border. She’s a public health advocate who has spent two decades in community health work and research investigating how immigrant and racial /ethnic minority family caregivers and seniors navigate old age and seek out health and elder care. Today, Angelica supports some of Arizona’s community health centers, which serve primarily Medicaid and underserved communities, in their transition to value-based care.
About Multicultural Guide to Caregiving
Author and gerontologist, Angelica P. Herrera Venson, DrPH, opens up and shares her family’s personal stories and lessons from her field work and research on aging and caregiving with communities of color and first generation Americans.
Copyright MadeMark Publishing
