Traveling can be an exciting and enriching experience for individuals of all ages and abilities. However, for individuals with disabilities or age-related challenges, Travel planning can be an overwhelming and complicated endeavor. Fortunately, occupational therapists can serve as accessibility travel planners, offering expert knowledge and guidance to improve the travel experience. In this post, we will discuss some of the many ways that occupational therapists can assist in travel planning and share specific examples for everything from finding the best deals to supporting disability with transportation, hotels, excursions, and more.

Finding the Best Deals:

Travel planners in general, have access to a huge database of connections and can help individuals and groups with disabilities or age-related challenges find the best deals for their travel needs. They can assist with researching prices and comparing rates on flights, accommodations, and transportation. Additionally, they can help identify discounts or promotions that may be available, such as group rates, rewards programs, or special offers.

Adaptations to Travel:

Travel can pose unique challenges for individuals with disabilities or age-related limitations. Occupational therapists can assist with identifying adaptations that can improve accessibility and safety during travel. They can provide recommendations for assistive devices or modifications that can make travel more comfortable, such as wheelchairs, scooters, or specialized seating. Additionally, occupational therapists can recommend appropriate healthcare providers in case of healthcare emergencies while traveling.

Support with Transportation and Accommodations:

The transportation and accommodation sectors are gradually making strides in accessibility. However, some options may be more suitable for certain types of disabilities than others. Occupational therapists can help identify transportation companies or vehicle rentals that offer accessible modes of transportation. They can also provide recommendations for hotels and lodgings with features that cater to people with disabilities. These features can range from wheelchair-accessible rooms, assistance with luggage handling, and adaptive Technology. It is common for businesses to advertise or claim that they have accessible rooms or accommodations, but we can dive deeper, investigate your specific needs and be your advocate.

Support for Those with Cognitive, Autism and Psychosocial Related Conditions:

For individuals with cognitive or psychosocial disabilities, travel can pose additional challenges. Occupational therapists can assist with providing solutions for communication, Stress management, and sensory stimulation. For example, they can provide guidance on using visual aids, auditory cues, and written instructions. They can also look for accommodations that offer sensory-friendly rooms and activities.

Sobriety-Friendly Travels:

Substance abuse is another challenge that may influence an individual’s travel needs. Occupational therapists can assist in finding sober vacation retreats, providing guidance and support for maintaining sobriety while traveling. They can help identify activities and excursions that are sobriety-friendly and identify areas to avoid, such as areas of heavy alcohol presence.

Traveling can be an enriching and enjoyable experience for people of all ages and abilities. With the help of occupational therapists acting as accessibility travel planners, more individuals can enjoy the benefits of travel without added stress or difficulty. Occupational therapists can support travel planning in a variety of ways, ranging from finding the best deals to recommending accommodations and activities specific to different types of disabilities and difficulties.

Reach out to me to learn more!

Ryan Salmon @ Safe Accessible Home… and Travel!

https://www.safeaccessiblehome.com/accessible-travel-accommodations

Originally Published on https://www.safeaccessiblehome.com/blogs/

Ryan Salmon Home Safety / Accessibility Specialist

For the past decade, I have been an occupational therapist primarily serving older adults in the home and community. My background in construction has played a huge role in how I support people in tailoring their environment to meet their needs as it relates to maintaining their safety and accessibility for daily activities. I now have my contractors license again and am providing home assessments as well as doing the actual modifications to assist those who wish to continue living in their home for as long as possible. During the pandemic, I was able to support my baby boomer parents with home modification decisions that allowed my father to live out his remaining days in the home as he always desired. This experience, along with personally living in a remote area, lead to my transition to providing virtual home safety and accessibility consultations. My goal is to support people through the entire process from start to finish with assessments over zoom, with photos, videos, gathering data with lidar technology if possible, developing a plan, locating the best contractors for the job, being the liaison between the clients and the contractors and follow up assessments. I am available for medically necessary cases in Alaska, and preparatory cases anywhere else on the planet so if you are planning for the future, feel free to reach out.