Senior Friendly Travel Destinations for Health and Wellness

Traveling gives us a wonderful chance to recharge our batteries and see new places. Senior-friendly destinations for health and wellness provide opportunities to refresh ourselves and experience new things. It keeps our minds sharp and our bodies moving, which becomes even more important as we age. Let's look at how choosing the right destination can boost your health and happiness during your golden years.

Senior and handicap accessible journeys will support your well-being and joy in retirement. First, you want to find inspiring ideas for senior-friendly destinations that are focused on wellness and comfort.

Why Accessibility Matters for Your Health

Choosing an accessible destination removes some of the stress from travel planning. When you know you can get around easily, you feel more confident and relaxed during your trip. This helps you enjoy every moment of your vacation.

Look for accessible spots that feature flat walking paths, which will encourage you to stay active without overdoing it. You can walk at your own pace and take breaks whenever you need to rest. These gentle exercises keep your joints flexible and your heart healthy without the risk of injury.

Nature Retreats for Mental Clarity

Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to clear your mind and reduce anxiety. Fresh air and green surroundings signal your brain to slow down and let go of daily worries. Many seniors find that a quiet trip to a park or a lake helps them sleep better at night.  Being in the forest or near bodies of water can be quite relaxing.

Consider visiting places which combine natural beauty with easy access such as city, state or national parks, local woodlands, beaches, lakes, or riversides, like the historic sites on the Snake River. You can explore many of these scenic areas without worrying about difficult terrain or steep climbs. Immersing yourself in such a peaceful environment refreshes your spirit and improves your overall mood.

Social Connections on the Road

Traveling to senior-friendly destinations leads to meeting new people with similar interests. Socializing keeps your brain active and fights off feelings of loneliness or isolation. You might strike up a conversation at a museum or share a meal with fellow travelers.

Group tours specifically designed for seniors are another great way to make friends while you explore. You can find tons of these all across many states such as Florida, including art tours in Miami and fishing tours in the Everglades. There are also organized tours in most major cities, including Washington, DC. These organized trips take care of the logistics so you can focus on having fun and connecting with others. Building these new relationships adds a layer of joy and purpose to your travel experience.

The advantages of tours is that the guides often take care of transportation, reservations, tickets for entry into various venues, etc.  You can relax and simply enjoy the experience.

Staying Safe and Healthy While You Explore

No matter where you choose to travel, it is wise to make sure your destination has good medical facilities nearby before you book your trip. Knowing that help is close will allow you to relax and focus on your adventure. It is also smart to pack a small health kit with your medications, a basic first-aid kit, and instructions on what to do in emergencies.

Depending on where you are hiking, you may also want to take along a GPS locator for hikers, which can make it easier for rescuers to find you if you are injured on a walking trail or other spot away from civilization.  You may also want to take a satellite phone.  Make sure you have fully charged your regular cell phone, and bring a back-up charger.  If you are in a wilderness area, bring along bear spray or something similar. It could come in handy against a variety of animals, including humans.  Bring plenty of water and a jacket.  Even in the desert, it can get cold if you get lost and are outdoors after dark.   

When picking a hotel, choose accommodations that prioritize safety features such as grab bars and elevators. Many hotels now offer rooms specifically designed to make your stay comfortable and worry-free, so ask about these amenities. Exploring senior-friendly destinations for health and wellness is a fulfilling and enriching travel experience, and something all seniors should enjoy.

Post and Photo credit: Logical Positions

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International Travel Tips for Senior Citizens

One of the activities which many Baby Boomers look forward to when they retire is the ability to travel, often to countries they only dreamed about while working.  Without work or school to hinder them, they have a wide variety of ways they can pursue this dream. A number of companies cater to senior citizens who want to travel abroad.  In addition, many people choose to simply explore the world on their own.  Whether you travel in a group or privately, there are a few things everyone should know before they set out on their great adventure.

This week, I have invited Sean Turner, a well-traveled health and life insurance expert, to share his expertise and tips for senior citizens who plan to travel overseas.  Hopefully, this information will help them avoid some of the more common pitfalls which can arise with international travel.  Below is the article from Mr. Turner.

5 Tips for Seniors Traveling Internationally

There are several obstacles which seniors may face, which younger people might not, when it comes to traveling overseas, aside from the normal health risks, such as getting waterborne or food borne illnesses after drinking and eating at local restaurants. As a result, we want you to be prepared for your exciting trip overseas and hope you have some incredible and memorable experiences.

Consequently, we have compiled a list of tips for traveling internationally:

1.    Medicare will not cover you outside of the United States 

Original Medicare provides zero coverage as soon as you step off American soil. Even if you have a Medicare Supplement policy, it is likely to only have an extremely limited amount of coverage. This is why we recommend shopping for senior health insurance for international travel. Health insurance for traveling overseas is much more flexible than insurance used here in the States, primarily because there are claims administrators and coordinators who work with citizens in the country to which you are traveling. They understand the language and are familiar with local healthcare.

Travel Health Insurance is important because health emergencies can be more likely to occur overseas than at home. This is because you may be traveling to new places and consuming unfamiliar food and beverages. One way to prepare ahead of time is by purchasing the appropriate travel health insurance policy.

2.    Store Your Prescriptions in Several Locations

Packed swimsuit. Check. Packed phone charger. Check. Packed prescriptions. Check.

What you may want to double check is where you pack your prescriptions. If you rely heavily on specific prescriptions, you may want to consider packing duplicates in both your carry-on and checked luggage.  If you are overseas and lose a prescription, it may be impossible or nearly impossible to get it filled at a pharmacy outside of the U.S.  If you pack the prescriptions in multiple places, and one bag is stolen or lost, it is likely you will still have enough of your prescriptions in your other bag to figure out your next step.  

It is also a good idea to carry a copy of your written prescription from your physician with you. This will make it easier to get certain prescriptions refilled in a foreign country, if you need to.

3.    Look up the US Embassy or Consulate’s Contact Information

Before your trip, search for the closest US Embassy in the country to which you are traveling, and take their contact information with you. If a U.S. citizen is seriously injured or falls ill while in a foreign country, representatives from the embassy will assist in finding providers or healthcare professionals. While the U.S. Embassy will not recommend any one provider, they can provide a list of physicians to help with your specific injury or healthcare problem.

It is also a good idea to check the State Department's website for travel warnings and advisories before you leave on your trip, so you know if there are any areas or specific situations you should avoid.

4.    Take Your Time and Enjoy Your Travels

When you travel overseas, you may be hauling around one or more large suitcases full of clothes, sunscreen, souvenirs you have purchased, and other gadgets “you might need."

Many airlines have begun charging steep rates for checked bags. Before you know it, you are spending an outrageous amount of money just to get you and your stuff from one place to another. Here is our suggestion: Once you have landed at your international destination, you may look into traveling by train or rail to your next destinations.

Rail travel has become increasingly popular and inexpensive in many countries. You usually can carry on one or two bags and check another two at no cost. Some other benefits of traveling by rail are that you can enjoy playing card games in the observation car, view the beautiful landscapes, and even grab a meal in the dining car.  You may also get an opportunity to meet foreigners and learn a little about the country through which you are traveling.  Many people enjoy being unofficial "tour guides" and proudly pointing out interesting locations as you pass by. You will see much more of the countryside between destinations if you travel by rail rather than flying from location to location.

Also, if you are in places such as Europe, train travel is discounted for students and seniors.  Be sure to take along your student ID, or passport, when purchasing your tickets.

5.    Avoid Peak Seasons

Just as in the U.S., when the peak travel season is from June to August (when school is out), other parts of the world have peak travel seasons, as well. Typically, Baby Boomers have more freedom to choose the time of year which is best for travel. We recommend you consider choosing a low season rather than a peak season, when it works for you, because plane tickets and hotels can be much less expensive and the crowds will be smaller.

Low Seasons for Several Countries:

China – November to January

Ecuador – December to June

Europe – October to February

Indonesia – October to May

           

The only downside to traveling during low seasons are that the weather may be cooler and wetter than during the peak seasons, so be prepared to pack appropriate jackets and other clothing. Also, some attractions, such as museums, may be open to the public for shorter hours. Be sure to do your research ahead of time.

Conclusion 

While international travel is often about exploring new cultures, new people and languages, and seeing great places, it may be easier to enjoy it if you have used the above tips to prepare ahead of time. If you have any great tips from your travels, share them in the comments below.

About the Author 

Sean Turner is a licensed health and life insurance agent for Buffer Benefits. He has had the privilege of traveling to over eight different countries. You can learn more about travel insurance at https://bufferbenefits.com


I hope my readers found the above guest post helpful.  If you are interested in getting more information about travel, where to retire, financial planning, common medical problems, Social Security, Medicare and more, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credits:  Photo of Sean Turner supplied by him
Photo of Ecuadorian Art courtesy of morguefile.com