Travelling with Parkinson’s

Suffering from Parkinson’s should not prevent somebody from travelling. If thinking about organising a break for yourself or someone else with Parkinson’s, you’ll need to do some extra planning to make sure the holiday meets their or your own personal needs.

Planning a holiday for somebody with Parkinson’s should involve:

• Speaking to your GP- Speaking to your GP about your plans is essential when organising travel arrangements for somebody with Parkinson’s. GP’s can check if there’s anything you need to take into consideration and if there is any additional medication that you should bring.
• Be clear about your/the sufferers needs – When booking a holiday, it is important to explain what yourself/others may need to your travel/ booking agent. Be careful not to assume that people will understand what sort of assistance someone with Parkinson’s may need. When looking at hotels it is important to consider things such as: can the individual/yourself manage stairs? and if the hotel can provide mobility equipment if needed such as wheelchairs and raised toilet seats.
• Preparing medication – Before you travel it is important to speak to your GP, to ask for a medical certificate or letter that explains that yourself/other have Parkinson’s and lists the medications that you/they are taking. This is useful if yourself/other are taken ill whilst abroad. If carrying syringes or needles these must be explained in the medical certification or letter. It is also a good idea to ask your GP to provide you with a prescription for extra medication to cover the length of your trip- this is useful in case you run out or it gets lost or stolen.
• Buying Travel insurance- Before travelling it is important that all individuals with Parkinson’s are covered by a suitable travel insurance policy before they travel. This is necessary in case they need medical treatment whilst abroad. Although many people believe The Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE) or European Health Card can be used instead of medical health insurance this is not the case. The Tarjeta Sanitaria providers very limited medical coverage for travelling abroad. Each country’s medical system operates differently, therefore services that are free in Spain may not be free elsewhere in the world.

Fit 2 Trip specialise in travel insurance for individuals with pre-existing health conditions such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer. Fit 2 Trip aims to provide travel insurance for everybody, regardless of their medical circumstances or age.  Fit 2 Trip offer medical only, cancellation only and multi-risk policies for families, couples and individuals.

Fit 2 Trip medical policies cover:  medical expenses, repatriation and the expenses of cutting short your trip.