Fitness to travel - assessment in the elderly and medically impaired.

BACKGROUND

As more people travel, and with an expanding aged population, the number of older travellers, including those with significant medical or physical impairment will increase significantly.

OBJECTIVE

This article addresses the assessment of fitness to travel in these groups, particularly with regard to their varying standard of fitness and/or disability. These factors should influence all travel plans.

DISCUSSION

Factors for consideration are: destination and itinerary; the traveller's current medical condition, state of health, mobility (if impaired), medication, preparation necessary, level of fitness; and assessment of precautions or protection needed for temperature and/or weather extremes, altitude and other influencing factors. The trip conditions, both possible and probable, should be assessed and matched with these factors before booking the trip - long before the planned departure. If the vacation is to be enjoyed, the destination and itinerary must be comfortably achievable within these confines for the individual(s) concerned.