Traveling with Seniors this Holiday Season

As caregivers, we want to keep our older family members happy and engaged, and we know socialization for seniors is extremely important to their well-being. But according to the experts, caregivers must weigh the benefits of seeing relatives and other loved ones in person with the risks to everyone’s health and safety this holiday season.

Even Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on COVID-19 and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has decided he won’t travel this holiday season, nor will his children travel to see him.

During a recent interview with CBS News, Dr. Fauci explained that, “Given the fluid and dynamic nature of what’s going on right now in the spread and the uptick of infections, I think people should be very careful and prudent about social gatherings.”

The Centers for Disease Control advises Americans who may attend holiday gatherings to follow any state or local laws or recommendations and to assess whether the COVID-19 conditions in their area warrant a postponement, cancellation or a limitation on the number of people in attendance.

So, while there are many reasons not to travel with older loved ones this holiday season, there are precautions caregivers can take to make the holidays safer, if traveling is something everyone has agreed to.

1. Plan for every possible situation before traveling. That’s impossible, of course, but if you plan far enough in advance, you will be better prepared. As a caregiver, you are the best person to help your loved one gather all the essentials for traveling, and having a list to follow can make a huge difference.
2. Bring anything you think is essential to stay safe. This may mean bringing a supply of masks, face shields, gloves, wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizer and maybe even extra toilet paper. Depending on where in the country you will be traveling, some of these supplies could be hard to find.
3. Avoid entering high-traffic locations or venues on your trip. Try to use drive-thrus or curbside service instead of entering restaurants or fast-food establishments. If you or your loved one must use a public restroom, practice all the safety precautions recommended by the CDC to reduce your chances of picking up germs or viruses.
4. Plan festivities in an outdoor location, if possible. This will limit the possible spread of viruses. Rather than gather indoors at a relative’s home, some families are renting patio or outdoor facilities that are closed to the public but allow private parties with up to a certain number of attendees, to be safe. In colder climates, some venues put up plastic walls, and use outdoor heaters for a cozy effect. But this requires a lot of prior planning.
5. Follow safety measures during indoor gatherings. Many families are used to sharing food buffet-style during typical home-based holiday meals. The experts suggest trying a different type of holiday celebration by asking guests to bring their own meals, so no sharing of food occurs. Using your own utensils, marking your glass with a Sharpie, and placing chairs six feet apart will help maintain safety.
6. After the meal is done, use touchless garbage receptacles if possible, or a large trash can with no lid. Think of all the people who might touch a trash can lid to toss their leftovers! It’s recommended that guests throw out their trash without touching receptacles or lids to reduce the spread of germs.
7. Hosts should maintain extreme cleanliness in shared bathrooms. Hosts should make sure they have enough sanitizer, wipes and antibacterial sprays available in the bathrooms so that guests can sanitize the facilities before and after use. Older adults may need assistance with these new procedures.
8. Maintain social distancing, especially with those outside your inner circle. If you and an older loved one are attending a holiday gathering, in addition to wearing masks and using hand sanitizer, keep a proper distance from other attendees. As a caregiver, making sure your loved one is safe is your number one concern.

If you are unsure if traveling for the holidays with your senior loved one is the right thing to do, consider traveling after the holidays are over, when fewer people are traveling. Your loved ones want to see one another and keep the family connections strong, but unless there is an urgent need to travel, postponing it and visiting via virtual platforms might be best. If you would like additional tips, the CDC has a helpful infographic and guidelines about traveling during COVID-19 here.