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Travel as Relaxation and Arthritis

Many people with arthritis find that relaxing away from home for a short time is helpful. Some travel to warmer climates during cold winter months. Others travel to visit friends or relatives in whose company they can rest and enjoy a change of pace.

If you want to travel, discuss your plans with your physician. Generally, anyone who can move around his or her own neighborhood without assistance can travel with confidence. Advance planning is important, however, if you have any kind of physical disability.

Hotel Reservations

Making hotel or motel reservations, ask about ground floor rooms, room-side parking, extra wide doorways, and other features that will make you more comfortable while away from home.

Trains

Some train stations now have more barrier-free arrangements, making train travel easier for disabled persons. Accessibility to cars and stations varies widely throughout world, so check with the train line or your travel agent to be sure that you will be able to maneuver in the stations you must pass through during your trip.

If you plan to travel by train, consider the following questions:

1. Can you move from the street, through the station, to the train platform, and onto the train?
2. Will someone be available to help you at the station?
3. Can you manage alone or should you travel with a companion?
4. Are the train aisles wide enough for a wheelchair?
5. Can meals be brought to your seat or room if you have difficulty walking through a moving train?

Also, if you have particular disabilities, discuss them with railway personnel when making your travel arrangements. You will find that your trip can be made much more comfortable when you follow specific suggestions made by the railway staff.

Bus Travel

Travelling by bus is possible even if you are in a wheelchair. If you call ahead, a terminal employee can arrange to assist you to the bus. Get complete details about departure and arrival time and arrive early enough to avoid the last-minute crowd boarding the bus. Also note these tips.

1. Weekday travel may be easier than travel on busy weekends.
2. Ask about rest stops. Determine how convenient getting to the restroom at the rear of the bus will be.
3. Find out when and where you may have to change buses.
4. Carry a light snack and beverage with you, in case getting to the terminal restaurant is not convenient for you.
5. Carry an inflatable pillow with you for naps.