Living with a disability or a chronic health condition can be incredibly difficult. Live will present new challenges that other people will be totally unaware of, and your days will have to planned with your needs and abilities in mind.
However, that’s not say you can’t enjoy yourself. With the proper planning and preparation, there’s nothing stopping you jetting off on holiday to get a much-needed break. We’ve put together a guide on planning a holiday abroad when you have a disability. Keep reading to check it out.
1. Travel Insurance Is Essential
If you are living with a disability or a chronic health condition, you could well require a great deal more medical care and treatment than the average person. This could be anything from regular check-ups to vital medicines. This can mean that getting away on holiday abroad gets rather tricky. You need to be confident that you’ll be able to access care and treatment if you were to require it.
Healthcare services abroad can be far more expensive than we’re used to. Even seemingly routine treatments can incur unbelievably high costs. If you were to require medical attention you could end up facing a hefty bill. This is why getting travel insurance is so important. It can work to cover the costs of any bills for medical expenses that you could be faced with on your trip. As an example, Staysure offer specialist insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions, check out their coverage packages and see what kind of package is going to work for you.
2. Think About Travel Arrangements
Traveling abroad can be an uncomfortable experience for anyone. However, for those of us living with a disability, it can sometimes become an arduous affair.
Airports can be stressful places, and for disabled people they can present a real challenge. You’ll need to get there in plenty of time to ensure you can get through security and make your flight.
If you require a wheelchair or a walking aid, you’ll need to ensure you’ve booked accessible seating on the plane and you may require assistance boarding and alighting. This all needs to be planned well ahead of time to make sure everything goes smoothly.
If air travel is out of the question, thankfully there are alternatives available. Rail networks are extensive and can offer a far more comfortable and accessible travelling experience.
3. Make Sure Your Destination Is Accessible
The UK has come a long way in making locations and facilities more accessible for disabled people. However, you might this may not be the case in foreign counties, many of them are far less accessible for disabled people and there are fewer laws and regulations in place that require businesses to cater to people who are physically challenged.
You’ll need to pick your destination carefully. The last thing you want is to spend all the money and time getting there only to find out that you are limited in terms of where you can go and things you can do. You’ll also need to ensure that your hotel is accessible, make sure it has an elevator if you have mobility issues, you don’t want to have to tackle stairs just to access your room.
Living with a disability or chronic health condition is tough. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to travel abroad and explore the world. All it requires an extra degree of planning, preparation, and forethought. Use the advice in this guide and have a fantastic overseas trip where you’ll have the chance to make memories that will last a lifetime.
