TranslateProduct in Focus: Travel Essentials
20 February 2024
Summer is a great time to go travelling, and whether you are escaping the heat for cooler weather in Europe, or chasing the summer sun in Bali, everyone wants to be able to get to and from their holiday destination safely and without too much stress.
Assistive technology can help make travel easier – from getting around the airport to getting comfy on your flight – so here are our suggestions to add to your luggage!
Mobility Aids
Whether you’re getting around the airport, or exploring a new destination, being able to take your mobility aid with you is very important. Walkers, wheelchairs, rollators, and walking sticks can be incredibly helpful and often times essential to ensuring that passengers can travel safely and accessibly. Foldable mobility aids are particularly useful as they allow for easier travel and storage when flying – see our section below on flying with mobility aids.
Suggested helpful products and equipment:
Medication Reminders
Medication doesn’t take a holiday! Chances are that you’ll have to take your medication when travelling, and particularly if you are flying to another country or going to a different time zone, this means ensuring that you are taking your pills at the right time.
Pill box reminders, like our suggested products, can have timers and alarms on them so that you know when you are due to take your meds again, both in terms of hours and your new time zone. They can be small and compact, easy for fitting in your carry on, so that you can take your medication even at 30,000 feet.
Suggested helpful products: Pill Box Reminder and Rainbow Connection Pill Box Timer
Compression Socks
For all passengers, compression socks are useful to help maintain the flow of blood in pressurised environments, but if you have limited mobility, or have a chronic illness that affects your circulation, they are essential for increasing your circulation and preventing swelling or clotting. They can also be useful when travelling outside of the plane too, as they can relieve aching pains that come with sitting for long periods when waiting for flights or in long lines.
Suggested helpful product: Jobst Elvarex2 Soft Ready to Wear Compression Stockings
Neck Pillows
Sitting in a plane seat for hours on end can be very uncomfortable, especially when trying to sleep, and neck pillows can offer a bit of comfort. They can also be useful to keep your head still to avoid neck pain and strain when sitting and sleeping.
Suggested helpful product: Traveller Neck Support Pillow
Portable Urinals
Long flights can also make going to the bathroom difficult – and for passengers with disabilities, mobility issues, or continence issues, getting to and using plane bathrooms can be inaccessible. Most planes do have accessible bathrooms, but they may not always meet your needs, or meet them in a timely manner. Portable and disposable urinals can be useful to have on a flight for emergencies or when needed and are easy to use and throw away in a sanitary and discrete way.
Suggested helpful product: TravelJohn Disposable Urinal
Other Information
Travelling out of Perth Airport? They have some accessibility facilities to help make your journey safe and easier.
They are part of the Hidden Disability Sunflower Program, which allows participants to wear a sunflower lanyard outlining that they have a hidden disability and may need extra help or time when going through the airport. The staff at Perth Airport are trained to recognise the lanyard and offer extra help when checking in, going through security, and getting on the plane.
The Perth Airport has a service animal relief area, and two Changing Places facilities, which have a shower, ceiling hoist, adult sized change table, and accessible toilet.
They are also currently in the process of designing a sensory room for those with sensory issues to regulate in before and after flights.