It is a common misconception that travelling over 50 is not advisable. However, with the combination of the free time of retirement years and available resources thanks to years of working, what better way to celebrate than by taking that trip that you always dreamed of?
The truth is, once you take the necessary precautions, your twilight years are the perfect time to travel, now that you are older, wiser and have spent a lifetime waiting for the chance.
T
ips for travelling over 50:
- Carefully consider the level of physical activity you are willing to reach – for some, trekking or hiking across vast mountain ranges is easily achieved but for others it means shortness of breath, tightness across the chest or perhaps the aggravation of severe osteoarthritis.
- Visit your local TMB clinic or your GP for a general health check and to discuss your trip before booking or paying for your holiday. Your doctor can assess your general health and advise you on what obstacles you may face health-wise on your planned trip.
- If you are planning on travelling with a group, try to ensure that you have the same things in mind and are of a similar fitness level. You do not want to feel pressurised into doing activities that you might not be physically fit for or comfortable with.
- For the older traveller, their previous possible Hepatitis A exposure (‘yellow jaundice’) should be checked but, beside this one specific vaccine, the other risks remain very similar. Tetanus exposure, Hepatitis B exposure or exposure to rabies are all items of consideration.
- Travellers in the older age bracket are more likely to have an underlying health condition which could be exacerbated by long-haul travel. It is essential to know that your insurance policy will cover local medical care. You should discuss your specific requirements with a specialised travel insurance broker. Being honest in declaration is very important as this may have serious financial consequences should your policy be called into action.
- If you are on prescribed medications, ensuring that they are clearly marked should mean you will have no difficulty at customs. It may be helpful to have a doctors letter confirming that the medications are essential. You should always have a sufficient supply for your entire time abroad. A small sensible first aid kit may be a useful addition especially for those who will be walking a fair deal.
Take care of your health
For more travel health tips and advice call into your local TMB travel health clinic and speak to one of our qualified professionals. Our experts will guide you through the health requirements for your destination, telling you all you need to know about vaccinations, mosquito bite prevention and food hygiene.