Caregiver: Keep Travel Enjoyable

Keep Travel Enjoyable

Believe it or not, Robin Collier’s introduction to the world of planning accessible travel might have begun with her elderly father’s wish to take a hot-air balloon ride. Robin’s dad was a new resident in one of Louisville’s Trilogy Health Services homes. Every new resident is asked to name something they’ve always longed to do; the Trilogy Live a Dream Foundation strives to satisfy those wishes. For Robin’s dad, they were able to bring a tethered hot-air balloon to the front yard. It was the ride of his lifetime! Robin’s horizons were broadened as well. Having worked as a travel agent since 2002, she understood the multilayered value a meaningful trip can bring, but it wasn’t until she got to know more about resident life in her father’s new home that she truly realized that fun and carefree travel doesn’t have to end as we age.

In getting to know one another, Trilogy staff learned Robin was a travel agent. In 2021, Trilogy Travel Club Director Rhonda SandersSimmonds reached out to Robin, who now owns her own travel business, RC Navigation Travel. The request was to plan a trip that would fulfill 99-year-old Irma’s wish to travel to the Biltmore Estate and Chimney Rock State Park in North Carolina. “Irma flew out with two caregivers who treated her like a queen, and she spent her 100th birthday on this trip. Now, she is planning an Alaskan adventure which will satisfy her life goal of visiting every state,” Robin says.

These Live A Dream excursions are a big hit: a group traveled to Las Vegas’ Treasure Island Hotel & Casino this past April; an Alaskan cruise is planned for July; and a bus trip to Graceland is on the books for September.

In addition to air travel, bus tours, and cruises, RV trips are extremely popular for travelers requiring special accommodations, with ADA-compliant spaces in national parks and campsites across the country. Individuals can bring their own or rent a camper from sites like RV Share, Cruise America, or Outdoorsy. While it’s true that internet searches and helpful websites make planning a trip easier than it’s ever been before, utilizing a travel agent has very specific advantages. Agents have greater access to resources and information, can get more specific answers to critical questions related to accessibility, and can guarantee support before, during, and after the trip.

Indeed, Robin represents a growing industry specifically dedicated to satisfying special accommodation travel needs. Planning is key to any successful trip, but for those needing assistance, it’s even more important. “I ask a lot of questions to make sure my clients get exactly what they need. Just because a hotel says it’s ADA-compliant, it doesn’t mean every person will be able to use that hotel in the same way. I try to assure my clients that I’m not asking questions to be nosy or to embarrass them, but instead to make the trip seamless and avoid any potential difficulty that could happen if their needs are not met satisfactorily,” Robin says. Key to successful accessible travel is knowing as much as possible about the individual client. “I want to hear not just where they want to go, but what they want to do there and how they want to do it. When considering a specific excursion, do they want to travel by and stay on the bus? Or can they get off and explore the area? The more detail, the better,” Robin says.

What if, despite careful planning, something isn’t right upon arrival? “This is one of many great advantages to working with a travel agent,” Robin says. “My clients have my number and can reach out to me at any point so that I can help them have the best trip possible.”

Traveling with family and friends need not end as we age. In fact, the world has become even more accessible to those with specific needs, allowing everyone to have a magical and memorable trip.

Irma enjoyed her 100th birthday in style, soaking up all the Biltmore Estate had to offer.

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Questions To Ask When Traveling With Someone Who Needs Special Accommodations

1. Can you walk? If so, how far?

2. If you use a scooter, are you able to come off of it and take a few steps or would you need further assistance?

3. If you use a wheelchair, will you provide all measurements for that chair, so we can be sure you’re able to get through doors, be able to reach countertops, etc?

4. How far can you reach — in all directions — when seated? (For example, could you reach sink faucets, shampoo containers hanging on shower walls, etc.)

5. Do you travel with a caregiver? If not, are there instances where you would need someone’s assistance — with eating or in the restroom, for example?

6. If you are neurodivergent (a person experiencing traumatic brain injury, PTSD, or on the autism spectrum, for example), are there sounds or settings that you would need to avoid?

By Megan S. Willman

Summer 2023 / Today's Transitions