If you are traveling with a handicap, handicap, physical limitation, mobility limitation, or developmental disability, have special needs, or use a power wheelchair or disabled scooter, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can about making disabled travel easier. .

Or if you are a mature traveler or senior who walks slowly or just wants a slower pace, learning more about disabled travel services and disabled travel resources will lessen the anxiety that often accompanies disabled travelers.

The following disabled travel tips, resources and information will help make travel, tours, vacations and vacations much easier for you or a child with a disability, whether short or long term.

1. Plan your trip well in advance! Do you need to order additional supplements, medications or refills, fix glasses or change prescriptions, have a physical, dental work, fix or tune up your wheelchair, etc.?

2. If possible, always book your trip through an agency that specializes in helping people with disabilities. This is important because specialist travel agents and disabled tour operators are experienced and can save you a lot of headache.

They offer lots of good advice and a wide range of services for the disabled traveller. Among other things, they can arrange for a wheelchair at the airport, a wheelchair accessible hotel room, wheelchair rental, an accessible van equipped with a lift, a full van, a minivan, an RV, a disabled scooter or any other disabled vehicle.

Disability travel agents can help arrange accessible transportation, help plan the best accessible cruise, give advice on cruise lines and cruises, purchase travel insurance, and accommodate special needs.

Agents can check with hotels about: interior and exterior door widths to accommodate your wheelchair, ADA-approved handicap-friendly bathtubs, grab bars, or roll-in showers. Just tell them your needs.

Travel agents can help you find cheap airfare, cheap tickets, cheap flights, cheap travel auto insurance, cheap hotels, cheap car rentals, cheap cruises, cheap vacations, and cheap travel of all kinds.

3. In addition to carrying the phone number of your travel agent, you’ll also want to carry the phone numbers of the travel agencies that specialize in disabled travel at your destination, in case you can’t reach your own agent.

These travel agents may know how to resolve issues that arise regarding your hotel, rental car or van, etc., even if you did not order your tickets through them.

4. When traveling to another city, check with local health and medical associations before you travel. For example, get the phone numbers of the local MS chapter if you have MS. These organizations can be great resources.

They usually know which local museums, restaurants, theaters, and other facilities are wheelchair accessible and where you can get oxygen, emergency supplies, or medical help. They may be able to help you with any issues that arise.

5. If you plan to rent a handicap scooter, wheelchair, electric wheelchair, handicap van, full van, minivan, RV, or other vehicle in another city, don’t wait until you get there. Make all the arrangements before you leave on your trip.

Be sure to ask specific details like if there are tie downs, ramps or forklifts etc. Check what van, RV, car, or auto insurance you’ll need before you travel.

6. Leave nothing to chance. If you can, double check all the arrangements your travel agent makes. Call airlines, hotels, rental companies for scooters, wheelchairs, cars, RVs or vans, rental companies for medical equipment, etc., and check the details, especially if you are traveling in a wheelchair or have other needs Specials like oxygen.

This is important if you have not used the agent before.

7. If you need oxygen or any other special medical equipment, call the airlines and suppliers well in advance of your trip. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start calling them as soon as you know you will be traveling or taking a trip.

Then double check with your travel agent and the airline at least three to four days before your flight.

8. Get to the airport early. It’s better to wait there than miss the plane. This will take away some of the pre-trip anxiety you might be feeling and make the trip more enjoyable. This seems like common knowledge, but many people still make it to the door just in time.

With everything that’s going on in the world today, there are many reasons why you want to spend more time at the airport.

9. In your airplane carry-on baggage, keep copies of your prescriptions for medications and eyeglasses, extra eyeglasses, sunglasses, all your medications and supplements, and a list from your doctor, dentist, and other health professionals with your addresses and phone numbers. .

Include your doctor’s fax number for prescriptions in case you lose your medications. Keep duplicate copies of these in your luggage and at home near the phone. Know where your medical records are kept.

10. When you travel, and at any other time if you take medications, learn their names and what exactly they are for if you don’t know. People come to the emergency room all the time and don’t know what medications they are taking. You may be surprised to learn that most people say ‘one yellow pill’ or ‘one white capsule’ etc.

Emergency workers need to know what he is taking so that they do not give him medications that could negatively interact with him, give him an overdose, or otherwise interfere with his treatment and recovery.

11. If you are traveling by air, please inform the flight attendants when you address any medical issues you may encounter on your flight. Note the location of the nearest restroom before you sit down. Tell the flight attendant if you think you will need help reaching him during the flight.

You may need or want an aisle seat for easy access to the restrooms. Discuss seats with your travel agent.

12. If you need someone to travel with you, ask your travel agent for ideas or suggestions. Call your local chapters of medical associations and ask if they can recommend a travel assistant or travel companion to help or accompany you.

There are national companies that offer traveling nurses, travel companions or travel assistants to accompany travelers who are disabled or have serious medical problems.

13. Be sure to bring with you: all medical cards, Medicare cards, discount cards, auto or rental discount cards, auto insurance policy numbers and agent phone numbers, passport, airline tickets, electronic tickets, American Express traveler’s checks, debit cards, credit cards and driver’s license. Photocopy everything.

Keep photocopies in your luggage and at home near the phone or somewhere someone has access to them in case you need them.

14. Read everything you can about traveling with a disability. Read disabled travel books, access guides, accessible guides, disabled travel articles, and travel publications for disabled travelers. Read the personal travel experiences of wheelchair users and others who have traveled with disabilities. To be informed.

These disability travel tips, information, resources and services should help you or anyone with a disability, handicap, physical limitation or who uses a wheelchair to have an easier, more enjoyable, anxiety free and hassle free trip. tour, vacation or vacation.