Savvy Senior: How to find travel companions for older travelers | Qa

ANSWER: Traveling can be challenging under the best circumstances, but for seniors with medical problems, physical limitations or dementia, it can be unmanageable. Fortunately, a bevy of companies provide traveling companion/escort services to help older adults with the rigors of travel.

A good travel escort can provide your parents with transportation to and from the airport, manage their luggage, navigate and assist them through the airport, sit next to them on the flight, help them to their hotel and much more.

Some companion services even provide personal care, such as medication management, dressing, bathing and feeding. And for those with specific medical needs, traveling nurse services are available, too.

But these services aren’t cheap. You will pay for the travel companion’s tickets, the companion’s hotel room, if necessary, meals, incidentals and fees for the service. The price to accompany a client on a plane trip within the United States — including the companion fees and travel costs for all parties — can range anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 or more, depending on the flight transfers and length of the trip.

To locate a travel companion service in your area, search online for “senior travel companion” or “senior travel escort,” followed by your parent’s city or state. Or use an experienced national service, such as Flying Companions (FlyingCompanions.com), Travel Helpers (GoTravelHelpers.com) or FirstLight Home Care (FirstLightHomeCare.com), which has a national network of franchises that provides in-home care for seniors and offers travel companion programs in about 80% of their 190 operating territories.

Or, for medical travel companions, do a search for “traveling nurse escort” or “medical travel companion,” or check out Travel Care and Logistics (YourFlightNurse.com), which provides registered nurses as escorts.

If, however, your parents don’t require a lot of assistance, or if you can’t afford a travel escort, consider asking a trusted family member or friend that has some air travel experience.

Vet the service: If you’re interested in hiring a travel companion service, you need to check into a number of things to ensure you get the right escort.

First, if you parents require personal or medical care while traveling, find out if the escort is trained to manage their health care needs. What sort of medical certifications do they have? (Nursing credentials? C.P.R. training? etc.)

Also, find out how many trips the companion has taken with clients. Have they completed trips with travelers like your parents? How long has the travel service company been in business? What is the company’s safety record? And what sort of insurance does it carry, and what exactly is covered?

Also, get a quote breaking down exactly what you’ll be required to pay, in addition to the companion’s fees. And get a list of two or three clients/references who have used the service and call them.