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Travel question from John Chandler
Hello Benjamin,
I am having trouble starting a discussion?
Anyway if you are able to throw this out there for me would be much appreciated.
Travel? I understand that yes you can go via Cruise ships who do actually cater for people with mobility issues if you have the money of course, but what about flying and yes I know that Airlines do also cater/help here but my biggest question is once you arrive at you destination and then go to accommodation, Hotel, Motel, etc if you are unable to transfer yourself or weight bare how does one get to a bed and then back to a wheelchair???
Any advice etc would great.
Thanks John chandler, New Zealand
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4 Replies
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Hi John! Don’t worry, I think we all had some trouble figuring out how to make our first posts. I know I did and there’s still a lot I have to figure out.<div>
It’s funny, I’ve always sneered at the idea of taking a cruise, but now that is the most attractive and accommodating option for me. I haven’t flown with my wheelchair yet, but it’s coming and I dread it. I’ve gotten to the point where I cannot reliably transfer myself and being transferred to a seat on an airplane is daunting. Not to mention all the stories about Airlines causing damage to wheelchairs Etc. My Hope Is that in the near future, I can fly in my chair, but I’m still waiting on that.
As to your question, it’s a moot point for me since I can’t travel alone anymore, but something that I found to be very helpful with or without someone to assist me is a portable bed rail/ transfer handle. Even in my state it gives me the security of something sturdy to hold on to, or to pull up on when I’m transferring into my wheelchair, or from the chair to the bed.
That said, if my wheelchair did not elevate so that I can match my seat to the bed height, I’m not sure how I would transfer. Most rooms that are labeled accessible have varying bed heights that unless I was able to stand up from a normal height wheelchair, I’m not sure how they expect anyone to transfer. Using the bed rail and a slide board to scoot myself into bed is one thing. Trying to do it from a wheelchair that can’t match the bed height would be impossible for me to do alone and very difficult for someone assisting me since they would almost have to pick me up.
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Mine doesn’t have the fancy light, but otherwise this is my traveling bed rail.
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I will be traveling shortly. It took a lot of calling around but the SpringHill Suites by Marriott will actually remove the bed from the room. I’ve rented a hospital bed and an over-bed table which will be delivered and set up where the usual bed was. They will place a tub transfer bench in the tub. I’m not sure that I trust the measurement of their elevated toilet seat so I’ll bring my own since we are driving this time. (When I fly, I ship a lot of stuff ahead, either to the hotel or to a UPS store.)
When I fly, I make sure to get good travel insurance for my power chair’s sake. And I leave my current chair at home, while I take the previous chair on the plane.
And, I, too, never leave home without a caregiver/traveling companion. You just never know when or what might happen, but when it does, you really don’t want to be without someone who knows you and can take charge of any situation.
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This isn’t an endorsement per se, but I also use Marriott regularly. Mainly because I’m a member and get points, but also because they are pretty consistent about accessibility.
If I’m driving, or really being driven, I like to take my own shower/ toilet chair. Then it doesn’t really matter how their handicapped accessible toilet or shower is set up.
For showers, I’ve learned to specify that I need a roll-in shower as opposed to a bathtub with grab bars. Accessible means different things for different people, so I’ve learned to ask very specific questions.
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