| If you travel with a disability,
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| | This is important if you haven't used the
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| handicap, physical limitation, mobility
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| | agent before.
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| limitation, or developmental disability,
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| | 7. If you need oxygen or any other
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| have special needs, or use an electric
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| | special medical equipment, call airlines
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| wheelchair or handicap scooter, it's a
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| | and suppliers well in advance of your
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| good idea to learn as much as you can to
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| | trip. Don't wait until the last minute.
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| make disabled travel easier.
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| | Start calling them as soon as you know
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| Or if you're a mature traveler or senior
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| | you're going to be traveling or taking a
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| who is a slow walker or just wants a
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| | trip.
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| slower pace, becoming more informed about
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| | Then double-check with your travel agent
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| disabled travel services and disability
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| | and the airline at least three to four
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| travel resources, will lessen the anxiety
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| | days before your flight.
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| that often accompanies disabled
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| | 8. Arrive early at the airport. It's
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| travelers.
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| | better to wait around there than miss
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| The following travel tips, resources and
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| | your plane. This will eliminate some of
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| information for the disabled will help
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| | the pre-trip anxiety you might feel and
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| make trips, tours, holidays and vacations
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| | make for more leisurely travel. This
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| a lot easier for you, or for a child with
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| | seems like common knowledge but many
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| a disability, whether short-term or
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| | people still arrive at the gate just in
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| long-term.
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| | the nick of time.
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| 1. Plan your trip well in advance! Do you
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| | With all that's going on in the world
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| need to order extra supplements,
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| | today there are many reasons why you want
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| medications or renew prescriptions, fix
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| | to allow for more time at the airport.
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| eyeglasses or change prescriptions, get a
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| | 9. In your airplane carry-on bag keep
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| physical, have dental work done, have
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| | copies of the prescriptions for your
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| your wheelchair fixed or tuned up, etc.?
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| | medications and eyeglasses, extra
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| 2. If possible, always book your travel
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| | eyeglasses, sunglasses, all your
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| through an agency that specializes in
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| | medications and supplements, and a list
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| helping people with disabilities. This is
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| | of your doctor, dentist and other health
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| important because specialized travel
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| | professionals with their addresses, and
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| agents and tour operators for the
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| | phone numbers.
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| disabled are experienced and can save you
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| | Include your doctor's fax number for
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| some awful headaches.
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| | prescriptions in case you lose your
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| They offer a lot of good tips and a wide
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| | medications. Keep duplicate copies of
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| range of services for the handicapped
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| | these in your luggage and at home by the
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| traveler. Among other things, they can
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| | telephone. Know where your medical
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| arrange for a: wheelchair at the airport,
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| | records are kept.
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| wheelchair accessible hotel room,
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| | 10. When you travel, and for any other
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| wheelchair rental, lift-equipped
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| | time too, if you take medications, learn
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| accessible van, full van, minivan, RV,
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| | their names and exactly what they're for
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| handicap scooter, or any other handicap
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| | if you don't know. People come into the
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| vehicle.
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| | emergency room all the time and don't
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| Travel agents for the disabled can help
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| | know what medications they're taking. You
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| arrange accessible transportation, help
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| | might be surprised to find out that most
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| plan the best accessible cruise, give
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| | people say 'a little yellow pill' or 'a
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| cruise line and cruising tips, arrange
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| | white capsule', etc.
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| travel insurance and take care of special
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| | Emergency workers need to know what
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| needs.
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| | you're taking so they don't give you
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| Agents can check with hotels for: inner
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| | medication that would interact adversely
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| and outer door widths to accommodate your
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| | with it, overdose you or somehow
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| wheelchair, ADA-approved handicap bath
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| | interfere with their treatment and your
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| tubs, grab bars, or for roll-in showers.
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| | recovery.
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| Just tell them your needs.
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| | 11. If you're traveling by air, tell the
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| Travel agents can help you find cheap
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| | flight attendants when you board, of any
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| airfare, cheap tickets, cheap flights,
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| | medical problem you might encounter on
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| cheap travel auto insurance, cheap
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| | your flight. Note the location of the
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| hotels, cheap car rentals, cheap cruises,
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| | closest restroom before getting seated.
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| cheap vacations and cheap travel of all
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| | Tell the flight attendant if you think
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| kinds.
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| | you'll need assistance getting to it
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| 3. Besides taking along your travel
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| | during the flight.
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| agent's phone number, you'll also want to
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| | You may need or want an aisle seat for
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| take with you the phone numbers for the
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| | easy access to the restrooms. Discuss
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| travel agencies that specialize in
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| | seating with your travel agent.
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| disabled travel at your destination, in
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| | 12. If you need someone to travel with
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| the event you can't reach your own agent.
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| | you, ask your travel agent for ideas or
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| These travel agents may know how to solve
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| | suggestions. Call the local chapters of
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| problems that come up regarding your
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| | medical associations and ask if they can
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| hotel, car or van rentals, etc., even if
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| | recommend a travel assistant or travel
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| you didn't order your tickets through
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| | companion to help or accompany you.
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| them.
| |
| | There are national companies who offer
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| 4. When traveling to another city, check
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| | traveling nurses, traveling companions or
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| out the local health and medical
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| | travel assistants to accompany disabled
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| associations before you go. For example,
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| | travelers or people with serious medical
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| get the phone numbers for the local MS
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| | issues.
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| chapter if you have MS. These
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| | 13. Make sure to take with you: any
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| organizations can be great resources.
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| | medical cards, Medicare cards, discount
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| They usually know what museums,
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| | cards, car or auto rental discount cards,
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| restaurants, theaters & other local
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| | auto insurance policy numbers and agent's
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| facilities are wheelchair accessible and
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| | phone number, passport, airline tickets,
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| where you can get oxygen, emergency
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| | etickets, American Express Travelers
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| supplies or medical assistance. They may
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| | Cheques, debit cards, credit cards, and
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| be able to help you with any problems
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| | drivers license. Photocopy everything.
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| that arise.
| |
| | Keep photocopies in your luggage and at
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| 5. If you plan to rent a handicap
| |
| | home by the telephone or someplace where
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| scooter, wheelchair, electric wheelchair,
| |
| | someone has access to it in case you need
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| handicap van, full van, mini-van, RV or
| |
| | it.
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| other vehicle in another city, don't wait
| |
| | 14. Read everything you can about
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| until you get there. Make all the
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| | traveling with a disability. Read
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| arrangements before you leave on your
| |
| | disabled travel books, access guides,
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| trip.
| |
| | accessible guidebooks, disability travel
|
| Make sure you ask any specifics like, are
| |
| | articles and travel publications for the
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| there tie-downs, ramps, or hoists, etc.
| |
| | disabled traveler. Read the personal
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| Check on what van, RV, car or auto
| |
| | travel experiences of wheelchair users
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| insurance you'll need before you go.
| |
| | and others who have traveled with
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| 6. Don't leave anything to chance. If you
| |
| | disabilities. Be informed.
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| can, double-check all the arrangements
| |
| | These travel tips, information,
|
| your travel agent makes. Call the
| |
| | resources, and services for the disabled
|
| airlines, hotels, scooter, wheelchair,
| |
| | should help you, or anyone with a
|
| car, RV or van rental companies, medical
| |
| | disability, handicap, physical
|
| equipment rental companies, etc., and
| |
| | limitation, or who uses a wheelchair,
|
| verify the specifics, especially if
| |
| | have an easier, more pleasant,
|
| you're traveling in a wheelchair or have
| |
| | anxiety-free, trouble-free trip, tour,
|
| any other special needs like oxygen.
| |
| | holiday or vacation.
|
