Traveling with a Loved One Using a Wheelchair

Just like caregiving, traveling with someone who requires a wheelchair is something that most people probably never give any thought to until they have to do it. The world is not always an easy place to maneuver a wheelchair. Traveling when you’re caring for someone in a wheelchair requires a little more preparation and planning than you may be used to, but the extra effort doesn’t mean you should shy away from it.  These tips should help you if you’re thinking of taking your caregiver life on the road.

Hotel Tips

When booking a hotel, ask if they have accessible rooms available. This may require booking over the phone because sometimes you can’t select for that online. Confirm with the hotel that their accessible room has the features you need. Sometimes, “accessible” doesn’t mean the same thing to the hotel as it does to you – sometimes all it means is that there are grab bars in the bathroom. There are “accessible” rooms in which a wheelchair or commode chair won’t even fit through the bathroom door. Likewise, there are “accessible” rooms that don’t have a wheel-in shower.  Be sure to specifically ask for the things you need.

If you’re particular about what side of the bed your loved one can get in on (transfers, especially for people with hemiparalysis, are often easiest in one direction), ask and make sure to get a room where the bed is accessible from that side.

Ask to ensure you can get into the room with a wheelchair – but don’t assume just because they say yes, it’s true! People who don’t have to maneuver the world on wheels don’t see everything that could stand in the way. A hotel who says, “Yes, you can get into the room with a wheelchair; there’s a ramp!” may have a ramp from the parking lot onto the sidewalk, but could have overlooked a four-inch step from the sidewalk into every room.

Ask ahead and try to get as much assurance as possible that it’s going to work and they have the things you need, but don’t be totally surprised if there ends up being some obstacle that nobody thought to mention.

Even if you aren’t usually one to plan out things in advance and prefer to travel spontaneously, it may be prudent to plan ahead when traveling with someone in a wheelchair. Especially if you’ll be going through rural, small town areas that may not have many hotel options. Try to at least get an idea in advance of which hotels have accessible rooms. If there are not a lot of options, book them so that you don’t end up somewhere without a bed that your loved one can get to.

Road Trip Tips

If you’re driving very far, rest stops are inevitable. But, just like hotels, not all of them are accessible! If the trip is one that you’re going to be taking frequently, use the first time to find the accessible, convenient places to stop that are big enough for wheelchairs. If possible, scope it out yourself beforehand without your loved one. If not, be sure to start looking for stops well in advance of when your loved one will really need one – this will give you a cushion if it takes longer to find an accessible place than you anticipated.

Some places will have family restrooms that are large enough to accommodate the person in the wheelchair and the caregiver – these are ideal, so search them out!

If there are no family restrooms, but just a men’s and a women’s, you may have to ask someone working there to block the bathroom so that you can go in with your loved one and not freak anybody out.  Or, if you’re specific about which side is easier to transfer from, you may need to use the opposite gender restroom because of the way they are set up.  Be aware that all these things are possible, and don’t be shy about asking people working there to help – they are almost always willing to do anything they can to make things easier.

If you have a commode chair that is smaller than the wheelchair, try to find a way to take it with you. Then, even if you can’t find a place that a wheelchair will fit into, or if the wheelchair to toilet transfer situation is less than ideal, you always have the option of performing the transfer to the commode chair in the parking lot and wheeling into the bathroom on that instead.

General Travel Tips

Allow lots of extra time – all the transferring and moving of the wheelchair and maneuvering around obstacles will make every stop take much longer than you think it will.

Don’t forget the comfort of your loved one! Some people may not be comfortable sitting for hours on end, so taking a long road trip may need to be broken into smaller, more manageable days.  If your loved one gets really cold very easily, bring extra blankets.

Start a packing list well in advance and add to it as you think of things that you’ll need to remember. Write down everything you use on a daily basis during that time. And don’t forget all the medical stuff. Some of the things to think about:

Extras for all necessities – you never know what could happen.

If incontinence is an issue, remember a drop sheet and an underpad for the bed, or a plastic sheet to protect beds. Pack enough briefs for the trip, plus extras in case of an accident.

If your loved one has a PEG tube, remember tube feeding supplies (pump, enough bags to last the whole trip, enough cans of food to last the whole trip, power cord, pump stand, syringes for flushing).o   Remember to bring your loved one’s medications.  It is really easy to forget that it’s time to take medications when you’re out of your usual routine, so try setting an alarm on your phone to make sure the meds won’t get overlooked.  Neck pillow for riding in the car to keep your loved one comfortable; small travel pillows can also be helpful for propping up legs or resting arms. Commode chair, if possible.  Bucket - keep in mind that when someone is sick or has had a stroke or has certain other medical conditions, they may not ride as well in the car anymore.  Cleaning up a bucket is a lot nicer than cleaning up the carpet of a car.   Drinking water and snacks. (This would be especially important if the person you’re caring for is on any sort of special diet.)  If you care for a stroke patient who needs thickened liquids, don’t forget the thickener. Therapy items needed on a daily basis.

Remember that things can happen – even on the road –so be prepared! Keep a current list of your loved one’s medications (including frequency and dosages), any important medical documents, contact information for your home doctor and hospital, and always notice those hospital signs on the road in case you need one! You could even research the places you’re going ahead of time and mark them on your map to have a general idea of where the medical resources are.  Smart phones cannot always be trusted.

Keep a printed road map in your car and know where all your car accessories are and how to use them (jack, owner’s manual, spare tire, etc.).  Obviously, everyone should know where these things are, but when you have someone else in your care and the added stress of being in charge of so many things, it somehow becomes a much bigger pain when you have to use them. For that reason, it’s that much more important to just be prepared.

Start small – if you know that you will be taking a long trip in the future, consider giving travel a try first on a weekend getaway close to your home.  That way, you can discover what things you may have forgotten or didn’t think about without the risk of being clear across the country.

With a little bit of planning ahead and preparedness, traveling with someone who uses a wheelchair is not that difficult. If you and your loved one like to travel, it’s well worth the extra effort just to get out of the house and continue doing things you both enjoy.