AutoAndTech.com | As vacationing this Holiday Season becomes less expensive, more accessible, and adaptive, more and more people want to travel and discover new places, perhaps tick off their bucket lists.
The accessibility of many holiday facilities has made it easier for families with disabled members to embrace travel. The travel industry has also opened up and made their facilities more flexible to fit the needs of those traveling and living with a disability. However, it’s still possible to encounter the harsh reality of life, with some people still discriminating against travelers living with a disability.
Traveling across the states or overseas may become enjoyable and comfortable when careful preparation and a positive attitude is applied and embraced. Here’s how families can make travel with a disabled family member run smoothly.
- Prepare thoroughly
Whether going local or venturing across international borders with a child living with a disability, you need to make thorough preparation a vital part of the holiday. Ensure that you have a comfortable and reliable car, well serviced, to avoid mechanical issues on the road.
Check out the wheelchair accessibility of the final destination, en route, and any places you plan on having a stopover. To avoid any stressful situation, you need to gather all the necessary information about a particular area you need to visit. Don’t be shy to ask about their accessibility and also recommend ways they can improve.
Request for any plan or preparation you may want before making the bookings. And in case the place you want to visit can’t adjust to your needs, look for accessible alternatives. The more information you have before setting off, the more fun your family will have.
Consult your Child’s Doctor
Before making the final bookings for your holiday, consult your child’s doctor for any tips, recommendations, and a unique travel pack. Ask about the specific items you need to carry to keep your child comfortable and use when an emergency occurs. Your child travel pack may include
- List of any prescription medication your child uses and a copy of each from your doctor
- Extra prescription medications.
- A detailed letter from your doctor explaining your child’s condition and what needs to be done during an emergency
- Email addresses, phone numbers, and pager numbers of your child’s specialists or physician.
- Recommendation of specialists/physicians in the locality you plan on vacationing
- Health insurance cards, the company’s phone numbers and prior approval of the policy before leaving town.
Advice from Disability Organization and other families
Consulting with a disability organization or friends who have traveled with a child living with a disability helps you to learn on ways to travel hassle-free. If planning to holiday from one state to another, check out the U.S Department of State for more information on disabled travel. Also, the Americans with Disability Act elaborates further on accessibility for people living with a disability.
Prepare your Car
When traveling across the states with a child with a disability, you need to ensure they will have comfort throughout the whole trip. Ensure you have the right travel accessories for the journey. Your car should have the recommended level of window tinting to block harmful UV rays and keep your car cool. Other handy car accessories include:
- Swivel cushions to allow your child to rotate their body without straining and in a more relaxed way
- Handy Bars for providing leverage point when moving from the car seat
- Transfer Boards for efficiently transferring your child from their car seat to a wheelchair
- Disabled access aid sign attached to the car window to make other drivers aware you have a disabled passenger. It enables the other drivers to leave enough space for your passenger to exit or enter the car
- Wheelchair ramps for making you’re getting around more relaxed and comfortable
- Seat belt helpers for limiting the needs to stretch and twist your child when fastening the belt
- Backrests for providing your child with spine and lumbar support
Having the right modifications in your car will make your holiday road trip safer, more comfortable, and enjoyable. Don’t forget to book and have your accessible parking placard.
Research on your travel locality in advance
Conducting a study on accessibility on the place you plan on visiting during your family vacation will help in making the trip more enjoyable.
If traveling by road, ensure you have the numbers of the emergency road services that have wheelchair accessibility. Check out restaurants that have accessible restrooms. Most of the newer fast-food restaurants have a consistent restroom design with access features.
For the monuments and national parks across America, they have free admission for travelers living with a disability. Enquire about their booking and the best times to visit with a child living with a disability.
Contact the different forms of transportation, like public bus companies and cab companies to know about their accessibility. Check the online reviews on places you may want to visit and their convenience.
Anticipate your Child Mobility Equipment Needs
To experience a seamless trip, you need to travel prepared and carry the right mobility equipment for your child. You may opt to take a scooter instead of a walker or wheelchair for natural movement.
Make Advance Bookings
Making all the bookings in advance ensures all places guarantee accessibility hence preventing uncomfortable situations.
Ask hotels for individual facilities if needed, book airline seats that give your child living with disability comfort, book sightseeing areas in advance to avoid queuing up. For a comfortable and memorable holiday, booking a full itinerary with a travel agent that caters to disabled travelers will ensure the whole family has fun.
Don’t Be Shy
As you travel around, you may meet people who don’t know how to handle and react to individuals living with special needs. Put on your disability ambassador’s hat and let them know your needs and expectations ideal for accommodating your child living with a disability. Also, don’t expect perfection on your first holiday trip with a child living with a disability, learn from the mistakes, and do better next time.
Having a hassle-free family vacation is possible if you don’t let fears for your child overtake your sense of adventure. Plan thoroughly, take time to just rest and relax for your child to recover and adapt before the next exciting journey in your itinerary, be creative and let every trip becoming a learning experience as you make precious family memories.
