Travel Over 50 – Be Aware of These 3 Risks

Life is naturally full of risks, and this is particularly true for travelers 50 and older. In this fifth installment of my Sixty & Me blog series on travel, I’ll cover three major types of risks older adults face when traveling and how to manage them.

Risk Number 1 – Health

Health concerns are more likely to affect older travelers. Perhaps you have an existing health condition to be accounted for in trip preparations. There also could be health surprises that pop up unexpectedly when you’re on the road. In either case, it’s essential to plan for health contingencies.

Air Travel

Airlines want to know if a passenger has a health condition that would be high risk during a flight. Conventional medical advice is to avoid air travel if you suffer (or have suffered) from:

• Recent heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• Unstable angina
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) or arrhythmias
• Severe heart valve disease

Another risk is blood clots forming in one’s legs on a long flight. Medical professionals recommend getting up often to walk in the aircraft’s aisle and wearing compression socks.

Are you using supplemental oxygen? Aircraft cabin pressure changes can affect your oxygen flow, so ask your doctor about increasing liters/minute flow while in flight.

Pre-Travel Checkup

If you’re concerned about your health while traveling, get a checkup at least 10 days before traveling. The CDC recommends the following areas be covered during the appointment:

• Any chronic medical conditions.
• All medications that you are taking.
• The purpose of your trip (i.e., business or pleasure) and the expected level of physical exertion.
• Destinations to be visited.
• Accommodations where you will be staying (i.e., hotels, hostels, camping, etc.)
• Timing and length of your trip.

Did you know there are doctors certified in travel medicine? This is a relatively new field that focuses on:

• Travel-related illnesses, including evolving drug-resistant infections.
• Global epidemiology health risks, both infectious and noninfectious.
• Health regulations, including immunization requirements across the globe.

Check out the website of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) to locate providers.

Travel Preparation

Here are some additional tips to consider when planning your travel:

• Bring a list of all medications and extra doses to avoid running out.
• Check your health insurance coverage at your travel destination. You can buy a temporary supplemental policy if necessary. Make sure to pack all health insurance coverage documentation.
• Update all necessary immunizations.

Risk Number 2 – Safety

Safety should be a priority for travelers of all ages, but older adults must be especially cautious if they have existing health or mobility issues. Here are some ideas to help you stay safe on your trip.

Avoid Mentioning Travel Plans on Social Media

Don’t advertise that you aren’t home. Criminals have robbed homes based on social media information. Wait until you return to post information about your travels.

Bring Important Documents

While passports and visas are required for most international travel, valid identification documents are also important when traveling domestically. For example, you’ll need a driver’s license and proof of insurance to rent a car. Always carry your passport in a secure pocket when traveling outside the country since some hotels require you to present it at registration.

Bring these documents also:

• Airline boarding passes and train tickets.
• Immunization and other relevant health records.
• Birth certificate copy in case you need to replace your passport.
• Travel insurance paperwork. (More on that below.)
• Travel itinerary.
• Tickets or reservation information for events or other pre-planned activities.

Keep paper copies of all these in your luggage. Take photographs of essential documents with your phone. Finally, share paper and digital copies with a trusted friend or family member so they can get copies to you in an emergency.

Use STEP

The U.S. Department of State offers the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for U.S. overseas travelers. Enrollment benefits include:

• Travel advisories for your destination.
• The State Department can more readily help if you have serious traveling problems.
• Friends and family can use STEP to contact you in an emergency.

Safeguard Your Stuff

Securing personal belongings helps to reduce risk and stress as you travel.

• Research pickpocket-proof clothes.
• Use the hotel safe or the safe in your hotel room to protect valuables.
• Leave expensive jewelry at home or in your safe deposit box.
• Handbags and backpacks make easy targets for thieves. Stay alert when you’re moving about.

Money Matters

How will you handle payments on the road? If you’re traveling domestically, cash and a credit card will probably work almost everywhere. A credit card is safer than a debit card since issuers are usually more flexible about reversing fraudulent charges. Also, bring an extra credit card if your primary card is not accepted, is lost, or stolen. Finally, tell your credit card company when and where you’re traveling and ask how they handle currency exchanges.

Remember traveler’s cheques? They still exist and have the advantage of being replaceable if lost or stolen. They can also be easily cashed for local currency.

On the subject of currency, cash is still used just about anywhere. How much cash will you need? In major cities, a credit card can be used for most transactions. However, when traveling in rural areas or less developed countries, cash is handy when a credit card is not an option.

Stay Connected

Will your cell phone work at your destination? There are several ways to ensure you have a reliable and fully-featured phone when traveling.

• Purchase temporary international coverage from your existing carrier.
• Enroll in Google FI, a virtual cell phone service provider. If your phone has an eSIM, this service allows you to use your existing device in over 200 countries.
• Get a local number via the eSIM on your phone. Companies like Airalo, Yesim and esims.io offer this service.

Solo Traveler Safety

While all solo travelers must manage travel safety risks, women must be especially cautious. Journeywoman.com offers a solid list of safety tips for solo female travelers, including:

• Maintain awareness.
• Avoid certain areas.
• Trust your intuition
• Dress appropriately for the culture.
• Learn self-defense skills.
• Stay in at night.

Risk Number 3 – Trip Interruption

What will you do if unable to travel due to sickness or some other unfortunate contingency? Fortunately, travelers can purchase trip interruption insurance coverage online. Also, some credit cards offer such insurance coverage as a perk.

Paying attention to the details when purchasing travel insurance policies is essential. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Travel insurance policies usually have exceptions, even for more expensive “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) types. Understand all the exceptions before buying.
• Some companies marketing travel insurance are not the actual insurers. They provide customer service to the traveler, but the insurer is behind the scenes doing the underwriting and reviewing claims.
• If you need to file a claim, retain as much documentation as possible while you’re on the road and expect to provide even more once you get home. Too much documentation is better than not enough.
• Websites like travelinsurance.com provide quotes from multiple sources.
• Consider adding provisions for air evacuation to the U.S. for acute illness or injury. This might make the policy more expensive, but it could be a lifesaver.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What travel risks have you faced abroad? Had you planned for them? How? Have you faced travel risks when traveling locally? Were they easier to solve than issues faced abroad?