THE long weekend is just around the corner. A week from today, many people would be ushering in the Chinese New Year. Travel plans abound and excitement is abuzz. Seasoned travellers would already know what to do when they make their way to their destinations, whether it's by car, plane, train, bus etc.
These days packing a generous amount of face masks, hand sanitisers, wet wipes and basic medication for the off chance of food poisoning, cough, cold and fever is already part and parcel of it all. Remember to pack some Covid-19 test kits too, just in case.
Add to this travel adventure an ailing loved one in your care, and you'll find that you really need to plan properly. Is that person in your care a child or adult? How much of the trip do they understand? Do they need constant care?
It has been said that it's easier to travel with someone with less mobility than someone who's able-bodied, but has a tendency to wander off. That remains open to debate and it can be unending.
LET'S GO!
So, once you've assessed the situation, consider the destination and plan the routes. If you're going by car, ensure that there are ample break times for answering nature's call. Check to see if the rest stops have facilities for the disabled, and that they're functional.
I've personally found that many of these places are quite horrific during peak holiday seasons. There are less clean toilets available, which are working properly. Many a time, the floor would be quite wet with poor drainage, and you might accidentally wade into, literally, unchartered waters!
If the journey is more than three hours, consider breaking it halfway and maybe make an adventure out of an overnight stop. You can make the trip awesome if you've had time and resources to recce the roads and hotels first to ensure that these places have all the facilities you need.
If not, check the Internet or give those places on your list a call to ask them personally. Sometimes what you see on the Internet haven't been updated and look prettier than they really are.
PLANNING AHEAD
When you plan to make this trip, it's good to book and confirm your reservations ahead of time. Trying your luck on walk-ins during peak time holidays is asking for trouble. If you want to be doubly sure about the facilities, contact the airlines, train station etc. to find out if they can help you with your disabled loved ones, and whether or not they charge for certain facilities like wheelchair assistance and motorised carts to get you to your gate faster.
When you ask questions to find out more about their facilities, communicate clearly without "sugar coating" your situation. Explain to them your loved one's condition and the situation that's very likely to occur.
An accidental leak of urine and/or faeces is a very real thing. Likewise vomiting. These are things you could never stop from happening, no matter what you try. What would you do if this were to happen? Imagine the scenarios and mitigate the situation.
BE PREPARED
Going from experience, I'd say always travel with different sized plastic bags for different needs. Small ones for the bits of rubbish and vomit, big ones for bigger things like soiled diapers. It's always a good idea to have bigger garbage bags as they can have multiples uses — from actual rubbish to seat covers, rain coats and even as giant bibs.
Remember to also have on hand disposable gloves for handling waste items. I've had people telling me that they're not squeamish about such things, but the point is keeping to cleanliness as best as possible. It's easier to put on those gloves and throw them away than using bare hands and then trying to look for soap and water to wash up.
I've been on a flight where an excited child threw the entire content of what he ate hours before he took the flight. The parents were endlessly apologetic as they cleaned up the mess. Fortunately, most people were kind to them. But there were some disgruntled ones who complained about the stink of vomit throughout the journey.
Both the cabin crew and the parents did the best they could, but the vomit had already seeped into the fabric upholstery of the chair. As it turned out, the child was already unwell, but the family travelled anyway.
It's a tough call for parents to decide differently, especially if they've spent money on the tickets and probably couldn't get another flight, or had to purchase new ones if what they had were on some promotion.
Holidays are meant to be fun and exciting, not a torture for everyone, your ailing loved one included. If everyone's fit to travel, plan well. Remember to bring along a quick wit and a healthy dose of sense of humour!
[The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.]
Putri Juneita Johari volunteers for the Special Community Society of Ampang. She can be reached at [email protected].
