Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Hello all,
My Nana (80+) is determined to get to Oz to see her Great Grandchildren, and I am determined to get her here! She's a fantastic lady :)
She's not exactly disabled (have to be careful what I say as she's on email and text so she may now have internet access :p ) but can't walk very far. At all. (DVT an issue (??) as she won't move except to go to the loo and I think she's got that down to once every 24 hours :p )
Her children aren't very keen for her to travel all this way, but I think they should encourage her. All of her dogs are still barking and she's got a wicked sense of humour. I know this would be fantastic for her.
So, any tips for elderly travellers? From reruns of 'Airport' I know they offer assistance of some sort.
Once she's here I shan't let her go though, thought I done this 'goodbye'.

Cheers all,

Mrs J

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Hi Mrs J,

long haul flights play a video before take off giving instruction on how to do basic exercise from your seat to keep the circulation going and prevent pooling of blood in the lower limbs (one cause of DVT) also, anti-coagulant therapy such as simple aspirin (75mg) can be taken a few days before the flight - if she is not already on any anticoags CHECK WITH HER GP). This prevents adhesion of blood platelets and vastly reduces the chance of a DVT.

Hope Nana makes it out. She sounds great. :)

Flash.

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

bIGGEST ISSUE IS THROMBOSIS THINGY , SHE NEEDS TO RUN AROUND THE AISLES

OOPS shoutin sorry.


Singapore airlines are brill with OLD people, they really looked after BIX

:)

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

I wouldn't like to say about DVT, although I am sure her GP could make some recommendations ie support stockings and aspirin.
My MIL is coming out to see us 2 weeks after we land and she is 81 yrs old, she is Australian so has family there and flew there 2 years ago too.
Her husband and my husband worked for BA and so she is entitled to cheap Standby tickets and was insisting that she flies Standby for £100 and run the risk of getting stranded halfway across. We have had to put our foot down and insist that we pay the extra so that she has a confirmed seat, cant imagine going to the airport to meet her to be told that she was turfed off in Bangkok and the would you know :scared:
If I were in your shoes I would certainly be encouraging your Nan to go, you only once!

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

She will be just fine as others have mention take small dose of asprin afew days before flying and during the flight....you can also buy flight stockings now at boots. Gentle leg exercises hourly during the flight too will help prevent a deep vien thrombosis

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

My hubby's great aunt who is 80+ and disabled (she can't walk very far) regularly visits her daugher in South Africa which although is not as long a flight is still a fair jaunt. When she books her tickets she makes it known she will need help and at every stop/transfer including the bus stations she gets wheelchair assistance, gets loaded on the plane first and there is always a wheelchair waiting for her on disembarkation. Your nan will have no worries. Aunt Joyce says the airlines can't do enough for her so I hope this is encouraging. Hope she has a good trip. :)

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

the first time we holidayed in oz, i was sat next to a very spritely 83 year old who was travelling to sydney alone.

i would say as long as there are no serious medical conditions, and she has the approval of her GP, there is no reason why she shouldn't travel and take the same precautionary measures against DVT's and dehydration as the rest of us.

go for it nana :)

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

There's also the option of taking a stopover in say Singapore, on either outbound or return or both. Most stopover locations will be fairly hot and humid, but the break might be a help. However, if she was travelling on her own, this might not realistically be an option.

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Mr Loopy's Nana came to stay with us for 3 weeks at Easter, she's 87 & had a ball. When we left we thought that goodbye might have been final so were overjoyed when she came to stay. Her son did come too though. The only times she found it hard was when we had a couple of 40 degree days, but as long as she had plenty of rests & cups of tea she was fine. She had the flight stockings & did leg exercises both journeys. Now she just wants to know when we're getting the pool so she can come back for a swim! Go nana!

Loopy

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Phone the airline first and they will arrange for her to be chaparoned a bit and I would suggest an airline that only uses singapore or one other single stop rather than 3 such as Emirates who also stop in Dubai.

As a lone flyer of somewhat elderly years she might also be upgraded at check in as well which is a plus.

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Hello Jones Family,
Seems there is plenty of useful advice above, but I have noticed one thing that hasn't been mentioned. Insurance ! I haven't quite got to the age where insurance becomes a problem, but I have read about plenty who have. Many companies won't even entertain insuring an 80 year old apparently.
Hopefully Nan won't need to make any sort of claim, but should an unfortunate situation develop during her trip, medical costs can be massive ! It would really add to the trauma of the situation if treatment couldn't be given because no-one had the cash to pay for it.
Can I suggest you make enquiries sooner rather than later before exciting arrangements are actually made.

I hope Nan gets to travel. I wish you all well. Glynn. :cool:

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Hiya,
just wanted to say, from an ex-airline employee's point of view, I always thought that UMs (unaccompanied minors) and wheelchair passengers are generally the most looked after and cared for.

With the elderly, it's important how to word it, (esp. as some are fiercly independant), but having wheelchair assistance means that once they've checked in, they're seated in a waiting area, then collected and taken to the gate then helped to their seat etc. They don't have to carry their handluggage, nor walk the many miles at LHR! and a 'comment' goes under their name so this service is provided all the way to their final destination. This is helpful at the international arrivals halls where generally the people meeting have no access to the conveyor belt to help get the suitcases off.

The crew will also have them marked as a 'special' (as BA called them) and be aware that they're in need of a little extra care.

They get to board first (unless they specify otherwise), off first, generally a decent seat (but not in the emergency exit for safety reasons).

Makes the journey a little more bearable as they don't have to negotiate the airport on their own or cope with baggage etc. :)

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Regarding insurance which someone just mentioned, my F-I-L got quite a few quotes from companies willing to insure Nana & there were some v reasonable ones. If you do have any probs contact SAGA cos they do insurance esp. for the elderly, although they weren't the cheapest.

Loopy

Re: Is Nana too old for the trip?!
 

Thanks all, you've been really helpful. Will get the insurance research underway and will send her my post c-section anti-embolism stockings :p . Lovely :D

Mrs J