Older Adults and Healthy Travel | Travelers’ Health

If you might be an older grownup contemplating worldwide journey, be taught what precautions to take to remain secure and wholesome throughout your journey.

Before you journey

Check CDC’s vacation spot pages for journey well being info. Check CDC’s webpage to your vacation spot to see what vaccines or medicines you might want and what ailments or well being dangers are a priority at your vacation spot.

Make an appointment along with your healthcare supplier or a journey well being specialist that takes place no less than 4-6 weeks earlier than you allow. They may help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and data. Discussing your well being issues, itinerary, and deliberate actions along with your supplier permits them to provide extra particular recommendation and proposals.

Make certain to carry a duplicate of your official immunization information with you while you journey.

Tell your physician about

• Any persistent medical situations corresponding to hypertension and bronchial asthma.
• All locations that you may be visiting
• The varieties of lodging the place you may be staying corresponding to inns, hostels, quick time period leases, boats, tenting and so forth.
• The objective of your journey corresponding to to go to pals and family, enterprise, or journey journey.
• Timing and size of your journey.
• Planned actions, corresponding to climbing at excessive altitudes, scuba diving, humanitarian assist work, or taking cruises
• All medicines that you’re taking.

Make certain you might be updated with your whole routine vaccines.

Some routine vaccines for older adults embody pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine, zoster or shingles vaccine, and an annual flu shot. Learn extra about what routine vaccines are recommended for adults.

Take really helpful medicines as directed. If your physician prescribes medication for you, take the drugs as directed earlier than, throughout, and after journey. Counterfeit medicine are widespread in some international locations, so solely take medication that you just carry from dwelling and ensure to pack sufficient all through your journey, plus further in case of journey delays. Learn extra about touring overseas with medication.

Keep a paper or digital report of your medical historical past with you throughout journey.

Cruise Ship Travel

Cruises are widespread amongst older adults. However, cruise ships can create a perfect scenario for ailments to unfold. Common ailments that unfold on cruise ships embody norovirus, that may trigger diarrhea and vomiting, and respiratory ailments like influenza and COVID-19. To assist stop getting sick, be certain that to scrub your fingers usually, particularly earlier than consuming and after utilizing the toilet. Wash your fingers earlier than touching your eyes, nostril, or mouth.

If you’re feeling sick earlier than your voyage, reschedule your journey. If you’re feeling sick throughout your voyage, report your signs to the ship’s medical facility and comply with their suggestions.

Plan for the Unexpected

Get journey insurance coverage. Find out in case your medical health insurance covers medical care overseas. Travelers are often answerable for paying hospital and different medical bills out of pocket at most locations. Make certain you’ve a plan to get care abroad, in case you want it. Consider shopping for further insurance coverage that covers well being care and emergency evacuation, particularly if you may be touring to distant areas.

There are various kinds of journey insurance coverage corresponding to journey cancellation insurance coverage, journey medical health insurance and medical evacuation insurance coverage. Learn extra about journey insurance coverage.

Enroll with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Check for and monitor any journey advisories to your vacation spot. Enrolling additionally ensures that the US Department of State is aware of the place you might be when you’ve got severe authorized, medical, or monetary difficulties whereas touring. In the occasion of an emergency at dwelling, STEP can even assist family and friends contact you.

Learn primary first assist and CPR earlier than journey. Bring a journey well being package. Learn the numbers for emergency providers within the vacation spot you might be visiting.

After Travel

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