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Travel advice for the over 60sThis factsheet is for travellers over the age of 60. With increasing age comes a greater risk of travel-associated health problems, but this needn't stop you from travelling abroad. This factsheet provides pre-travel planning advice and outlines the health risks to consider as an older person travelling. It also includes guidance for sun care and advice for eating and drinking safely. Retired people are taking an increasing number of holidays each year, many of them to foreign destinations. Travellers of all ages can be affected by illness from food and drink, temperature changes and jet lag, but older people may be more vulnerable. But you shouldn't let this affect your desire to travel. You just need to be aware of the risks, so that you can help prevent potential health problems, and still enjoy your holiday. Pre-travel planningGP consultationAll travellers are advised to consult their GP six to eight weeks before they travel outside of Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Your GP can arrange necessary vaccines and discuss the health risks en route and at your holiday destination. This is particularly important if you have a pre-existing medical condition or have recently undergone surgery. VaccinesYou will be offered vaccines dependent on your destination. Your GP will take into account your current health and your previous medical records. Influenza vaccine may be considered for elderly people as they are more prone to severe illness. The 'flu season in the northern hemisphere usually runs from October to March, and from April to November in the southern hemisphere. Antimalarial medicinesMalaria is a disease that is transmitted to humans by a bite from an infected mosquito. It is widespread in many warm countries. If you are travelling to a country where malaria is prevalent, you need to reduce your chances of being bitten by mosquitoes. DEET (diethyltoluamide) is the most effective mosquito repellent. It should be regularly applied, particularly at dawn, dusk and night. After sunset, cover your arms, legs and feet preferably in light coloured clothing and use a mosquito net if you are sleeping ourdoors or in an unscreened room. You are also advised to take antimalarial medicines. Some antimalarial medicines should not be taken along with other medications or if you have specific medical conditions. It is important to discuss antimalarial medicines with your GP at your pre-travel consultation. For more information, please see the separate BUPA factsheets, Malaria - the disease and Malaria - prevention. Travel insuranceBefore you travel, you should always arrange adequate travel insurance that includes health cover. Or you may have to pay significant medical costs if you become ill or have an accident. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you must always tell your travel insurer or you may not be covered by the policy. Most policies will state that if your health changes after the start date of your policy and the date your travel tickets or confirmation of booking were issued, you must telephone your insurer to see if your cover is affected. If you have any concerns regarding your fitness to travel, you should telephone your insurer. Pre-existing illnessIf you regularly take prescribed medicines, make sure you pack enough for the whole trip. Allow for a couple of days delay either side. Keep medicines in their correctly-labelled packaging. It is useful to carry a letter from your GP stating which medicines you need and what they are for, as this may be required at customs. For some medicines there are limits on the amount that you are allowed to take out of one country and into other countries. For more information, please see the separate BUPA factsheet, Travelling with medicines. If you have diabetes, asthma or a condition that could flare up when you're away, ask your GP for a record of your health details. That way, if anything unforeseen happens, the medical team treating you will have some background about you and be able to act accordingly. FlyingAt the airportIf you need any kind of assistance at the airport, eg use of a wheelchair, inform the airline as early as possible. Some airlines may be able to provide special facilities on board the plane. If you have had a joint replacement, eg hip replacement, then the metal part of your new joint may set off metal detectors at the airport. If the alarm goes off, let the security staff know that you have had a joint replacement. You may want to ask your GP or surgeon for a letter confirming this. There is usually a small fee for a doctor's letter. If you have a pacemaker, the metal in the pacemaker may activate the metal detectors. It is likely that you will have to carry an identity card (containing details about your pacemaker) with you at all times. You may need to show your card to airport security staff. During the flightSitting still for long periods of time can put you at a slightly increased risk of developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A DVT is a blood clot (thrombus) that develops in a deep vein, usually in the leg. The blood clot can cause pain in the leg, and can lead to complications if it breaks off and travels in the bloodstream to the lungs. Anyone who develops swelling or pain in the leg, or breathing problems after travel should seek medical advice urgently. While the risk of developing a DVT while travelling is small, it is wise to try to reduce your risk of if happening by exercising your legs at least once every hour during the flight. You could walk up and down the aisle of the plane, or exercise your calf muscles while seated. For more information about DVT, please see the separate BUPA factsheet, Deep vein thrombosis. People with arthritic joints are also recommended to move around during the flight to help reduce pain and stiffness. The air inside a plane is kept dry during flight but this can result in dehydration, especially during night flights. It can help to drink enough water while in the air and it is advisable to limit alcohol and caffeine-containing drinks such as tea and coffee. Jet lagWhen you cross over a number of time zones, your body clock may be disrupted, making you feel sleepy and hungry at odd times of the day. This is called jet lag. It can take an older person longer to adjust to a new time zone, so it may help to rest before you depart and to get some sleep during the flight. For more information about jet lag, please see the separate BUPA factsheet, Jet lag. CruisingNot all cruise ships cater for those who are unsteady on their feet or have a disability. If this applies to you, then prior to booking a cruising holiday, you may want to check:
If you're prone to sea sickness, it will help if you limit your alcohol intake and take anti-sickness medicines during your trip. You may wish to keep to the centre of the ship, where there is less sensation of rolling movements. In the sunOlder skin tends to be more fragile so it's important to protect it in the sun. To reduce your risk of sunburn:
For more information, please see the separate BUPA factsheet, Sun care. Older people are also more at risk of heat exhaustion and hyperthermia (abnormally high temperature). It can help to:
Drinking and eating adviceIt is common for travellers to suffer from bouts of diarrhoea while abroad. While some fit and healthy older people may not be at any more risk of gut infections than younger travellers, they may find it harder to cope with symptoms such as sickness and diarrhoea. This could increase the amount of time they are ill for and how severe the illness is. If you do get a bout of diarrhoea, take care to avoid becoming dehydrated. You may want to take a supply of rehydration salts with you. To decrease your risk of developing gut problems abroad:
Further information
References
Published by BUPA's health information team, healthinfo@bupa.com February 2006.
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