Holiday Travel Tips: How to Travel as a Caregiver With or Without Your Loved One in Tow

As a caregiver, the holiday season can be especially stressful. Not only is it one of the busiest times of the year in general, but it can become even more complicated with more vulnerable loved ones in your life that you must prioritize. Whether you’re planning a trip with or without the loved one in your care, there are additional planning steps you’ll need to consider.

In this article, we’ll take a look at both how to travel this holiday season with the loved one in your care, and what to consider if you need to travel without them. Each alternative will come with its own set of challenges, but this article will offer tips to help your planning and travel go as smoothly as possible.

Holiday Travel with the Person in Your Care

Planning a holiday trip with the one in your care is almost certainly going to create extra logistics steps, whether it be to see extended family or just off to take a fun, carefree vacation.

No matter why you’re traveling this season, here’s how to ensure you enjoy your time and get the most out of your trip:

Medical Clearance

Before you start planning your holiday trip, it’s important to check in with the doctors who oversee your loved one’s care. Depending on your loved one’s condition and the nature of the trip/travel, there may be travel restrictions or considerations you’ll want to have in mind:

Whether or not altitude/flying on a plane is safe
Refilling prescription medications
Packing medically necessary medications & equipment in a carry-on luggage instead of a checked bag
Rest frequency (how long it is safe for them to endure continuous sitting in a car)
Immunizations recommended for your destination (if applicable)
Shuffling or adjusting pre-scheduled appointments or treatments
And so much more.

We touched on it briefly, but it’s worth stating explicitly too: once you have a trip planned, make sure you have an adequate amount of medication, backup medication (depending on destination), and emergency services contact information in the destination area in case of a problem.

Set Realistic Expectations

When planning a holiday trip, be realistic about what your loved one is capable of. If you’re visiting family and they can take ample downtime as needed, this may be less of an issue. But if you’re going sightseeing or traveling somewhere new, be realistic about what you will be able to do and see in a day.

Don’t set yourself up for disappointment – write down what’s most important to you and stick to it. It’s normal and expected to not get to do everything you wanted on your trip. This is especially true with a vulnerable loved one in tow. Keep in mind that your plans may change due to your circumstances, and that’s OK.

Plan Ahead

A great way to ensure your trip is fun is to plan ahead. Double-check that any booked accommodations (like transit, hotels, or Airbnbs) are handicap accessible if needed, arrange any transportation in advance, and make sure your loved one can travel for the necessary time.

Additional ways to plan ahead:

If you’re sightseeing, you may want to consider things that could make the day less strenuous if needed, like hiring a driver for the day. This would allow you to travel at your own pace, not feel rushed, and not be in crowded public areas all day.
If your loved one has dietary restrictions, look up and pin appropriate restaurants or shops that will fit your needs ahead of time instead of trying to look them up on the spot.
Or, if your loved one has mobility issues, consider contacting locations ahead of time to see if they have things like elevators, escorts, or special passes to make the day smoother.

As we touched on earlier, it’s also a good idea to know local emergency numbers, have an idea of where local hospitals/clinics are located, and keep a list of all medications and medical records on hand.

Seek Help

As a caregiver, it’s OK to ask for help during holiday travel. Make sure you take some time to enjoy yourself – this is your vacation too. You can ask family members or friends traveling with you to help take some of the burden off your shoulders if needed.

Senior Friendly Holidays

When planning a holiday vacation, it may be best to pick a relaxing trip that will allow you and your loved one to reset and enjoy each moment. Some common trips for seniors are:

National Parks
Cruises
All-inclusive resorts
Beach getaways
Historical sites (archaeological sites, museums, old libraries, etc.)

Holiday Travel While Leaving Your Loved One at Home

During the holiday season, it’s ok to take a trip for yourself. Maybe you and your family want to go skiing, see distant relatives, or enjoy some time in another country. Although it may feel hard to leave your loved one behind, just know that there is nothing wrong with doing so. A vacation from unpaid work is just as necessary, if not, even more necessary than from paid work – it is a great way to prevent burnout and reaffirm for yourself that you still have your own life.

If you’re planning on leaving your loved one at home, here are some tips to ensure they have a smooth holiday in your absence:

Ask for Help

The first thing you may need to do (depending on your loved one’s condition) is find someone you trust to help with their care while you’re gone, of course.

This can be friends, family members, or medical facilities. You can also pool a few of each together to make sure your entire trip is covered. There are plenty of online resources to help you connect with services, so take advantage of them!

Set Appointments Accordingly

Speak with those who you have chosen to stand in your place and make sure they can ensure your loved one gets to their needed appointments.
Depending on their schedule, you may have to move some of the appointments around or arrange for professional transport options, but no matter what – it’s important to sit down and plan the schedule before you go.

Create a Written Schedule

Write down a detailed routine schedule for those taking your place. This schedule can include as much or as little as you think necessary, but useful information includes:

Wake-up times
Meal times and preferences/foods to avoid (grapefruit is a common one)
Medication times and doses
How much outside/stimulating activity is normal
Normal outings (like a morning walk or visit with neighbors)
And anything else that you work into your day-to-day activities.

The point of this is to try and keep your loved one on a schedule they are used to as much as possible. It’s also important to make a detailed schedule of prescriptions and appointments to ensure your loved one stays on track.

Document Medication & Doctors

We alluded to it, but to reiterate – when leaving, provide whoever is helping you with a detailed list of medications, dosages, emergency contacts, and doctors. Make sure they know what pharmacy you use, which doctor(s) are for what ailments, and what order to use the call list in an emergency (i.e., who to call first).

Closing Thoughts: Holiday Travel Tips

As a caregiver, it’s important to make sure you are still living your life and doing more than just caring for your loved one. We hope this checklist will help you travel with peace of mind whether or not your loved one is joining you on your holiday travel.

No matter what life brings you and your loved one this holiday season, you don’t have to do it alone. The California Caregiver Resource Centers are here to support you. We are a non-profit network of 11 Centers that support caregivers across the state of California. Every county in the state is covered.