1.

Get medical 
evacuation
insurance.

This is

at the top of my list. If 
you lose your luggage,
you end up spending a
bit more on items and 
might have to spend
an extra day in the
hotel. But if you have a
medical emergency in
Singapore, you end up
becoming the parent
or grandparent who
caused the family crisis
because of your $100,000
emergency evacuation
bill. The concern here 
is not a minor fall but 
a stroke, car accident 
or medical crisis that
requires hospitalization,
surgery or even a flight 
back to the U.S. in an 
air ambulance. These 
policies usually cover
the cost of flying a family 
member or friend to be
with you and fly back 
with you. Note: All
insurance is not equal.
In particular, you don’t
want an insurance policy 
that requires you to pay 

up front and then file for
reimbursement. (How 
will you pay up front if 
you are unconscious or
somewhere you don’t
speak the language?) 
I like MedJet Assist,
but there are age limits. 
Look at options at www.
insuremytrip.com, but 
then call so that you
can go over your health
and travel plans and get
recommendations for
the best coverage for
the lowest cost. Some of 
these are policies issued
for a year, and they can
be real bargains if you
travel frequently.

2.

Duplicate and
laminate essential 
documents. 

This

is a good idea at any 
age, but seniors tend 
to actually follow this
advice whereas the
young not so. You should
have multiple copies 
of your passport and
insurance information, 
and laminate them on
neon-colored paper,

which is more easily 
visible if someone else is
looking for them while
you are while you are
lying on the pavement.  I
also recommend carrying 
around a laminated card
with essential phrases
and embassy numbers.
Phones die or break.
Paper rips. Laminated
cards are easy to locate.

3.

Pack light. 

Can you

carry your own luggage 
up three flights of stairs?
If not, compress. Your
carry-on bag should
include a change of 
clothes and shoes, all 
your medications, a copy 
of any prescriptions you 
take (be sure to have your 
pharmacist provide you
with the generic name 
of all your medications
because the brand name
here might not be the
same abroad) and extra 
eyeglasses. IKEA has
nylon backpacks and
totes for $1 to $4, great 
for excursions, beach
or shopping, that weigh 

almost nothing and take
up no space.

4.

Do your research 
before you travel. 

Look for reviews that
are specific to seniors,
such as the AARP online
review of destinations. If 
you have mobility issues,
then research locations
and venues based on 
“disability access.”
Being a senior is not,
of course, a disability, 
but if a location has 
good reviews for being 
disability-friendly, then
it is generally a good bet
for seniors with mobility 
concerns.

5.

Pester (politely, of 
course) your hotel 
before booking.

Though they do not 
commonly advertise it,
most large hotels have 
wheelchairs available for 
use without charge—
which can be a good
thing if you or someone

in your party requires
one. If you do not think 
you can handle stairs, 
be sure that the hotel 
has elevator access
(smaller European hotels
will commonly have
three floors without 
an elevator) or can
guarantee you a ground 
floor booking. 

6.

Ask for senior
discounts.

While 

some countries require 
residency for discounts, 
others do not. Rail travel 
in Europe is reduced for 
seniors … but you have 
to ask when purchasing 
a ticket. In England, the
magic words are “Do you
have concessions?” 

7.

Do not stay home 
out of fear.

 This is the 

best time (and only time)
we have to get out in the 
world and have a few 
adventures. So, fly away!

28

Topeka SR