Increasing years shouldn’t stop you from traveling wherever you want to go – in fact, many more seniors are taking trips to destinations that previously were the haunts of young travelers such as Thailand and South America. However, getting older often means an increased susceptibility to health problems when traveling, from painful knees to increased fatigue. But with some forward planning you can enjoy a safe trip without health worries. Here are a few tips on safe travel for seniors:

Speak to your doctor about your planned trip and he or she will advise you of any limitations you have or anything you need to be especially careful of. You can also get refills of any medication you are currently taking. When you take prescription medication abroad make sure you have a copy of your prescription. It is also helpful to know the generic name of your drugs so that if you need to find a replacement abroad you can more easily find what you are looking for. It’s easy to lose medication on vacation so be prepared and know how you are going to replace it.

Make sure you get travel insurance and a travel assistance plan. You will gain a lot of peace of mind knowing that you can call a hotline to ask for advice should you fall ill abroad. You can find out a list of local doctors and how to claim money on your insurance for any medical treatment.

Pack your own medical kit before you travel. You may not be able to find those trusted, favorite brands abroad and it can be helpful to have over-the-counter medicines easily at hand. You will feel much better if you can treat simple conditions such as a cold with medication that you know will work. You may not need to use any of your supplies but they will be there just in case.