Five health and safety travel tips for retirees

Where do you dream of going? Don’t wait until tomorrow or even next year — it’s time for an adventure! Before you pack your bags and buy a plane ticket, though, consider these safety tips:

Purchase travel insurance. We hope you have a relaxing trip. But since you never know what is going to go wrong on a vacation, travel insurance is always a good idea. While travel insurance plans vary, most can help you rebook your flight and hotel if anything goes amiss. Additionally, retirees may want to purchase health travel insurance – just in case.

Manage medications. By planning out the exact amount of medication needed for the duration of the vacation, retirees can avoid having to go without (which in desperate situations may be fatal). It is also not a bad idea to bring extra medication, just to be safe. It also might be helpful to purchase “pill of the day” containers for certain medications or organize them in separate small sandwich bags.

Plan out the itinerary. As for any trip, you want to research where you are visiting beforehand so you can plan to hit as many desired destinations as possible. Take a little extra time to plan your itinerary so that you can address the need for any extra or special accommodations (such as accessible rooms or specialized transportation).

Buy comfortable shoes. If you are going to spend any of your adventure time on foot, comfortable walking shoes are a must. Whether you are sight seeing, taking a walk on the beach or hiking to a waterfall, the right shoes will make it much more enjoyable.

Check for discounts. Several airline, bus and hotel companies offer discounts for those around ages 55 and up. It never hurts to check — you may save a bit of cash in the end!

Safe and happy travels!