Supporting your clients to independently plan a holiday
A break away from our usual everyday routine can do so much for our emotional wellbeing. Whether it be a weekend break in the UK, or a week abroad in the sun, everyone needs a break to unwind, switch off and relax.
For many people the first steps to organising a holiday can be daunting and overwhelming, especially for anyone who is living with mobility issues or uses a wheelchair. Trying to assess the accessibility of venues or transport can be difficult, and we all know of terrible stories where disabled people have arrived at hotels or venues only to find the access has been misrepresented.
It is important for occupational therapists to be able to support people to plan transport and accommodation for holidays and breaks, to ensure they can look forward to a break away with confidence and excitement, removing any barriers to accessible travel.
The whole process of planning and booking a holiday can actually be used as part of a therapeutic practice. Everything that goes into planning a holiday can be looked at in a therapeutic manner, that can help build confidence, encourage independence, relieve anxiety, and improve mental wellbeing.
We have highlighted many of the processes that go into planning a trip and covered many of the areas that will need to be considered to ensure a safe and hassle-free break away.
Destination decisions
First off, the destination needs to be decided. Is it a staycation or do they want to venture further afield? Use this opportunity to discuss where they would like to go, find out if there is anywhere they have fond memories of and would like to revisit. Familiarity can be comforting if they are nervous about travelling, but they may be looking for new experiences. Transport is another factor that needs to be considered, whether they are comfortable taking public transport or would rather use their own car to travel. If they are looking to travel abroad, research may need to be done into the assistance offered at airports and on flights.
Research and booking This is a great opportunity to help clients become familiar with using the internet and showing them how to safely enquire and book things online. There are many people who are still not confident in using the internet to look up information, this can be used as a chance to help guide them through some basic tasks and highlight some of the dangers to look out for. Understandably many people still do not like to book online, they prefer to talk to someone over the phone for clarification and reassurance, you can show them how to find the contact details on websites so that they can call and discuss requirements over the phone. Opening up the ability to simply allow them to see what is out there by using the internet for research and to see images of the accommodation available could open up a whole new world to them and build their confidence in using technology.
Accessibility
Discussing physical accessibility needs with your client is very important. The last thing they want is to arrive at an inaccessible location for their holiday. Talk through all the things they will need to consider in terms of what they require, for example, they may need a hoist in the bedroom, wheelchair access throughout, profiling beds, a wetroom, or other equipment. Sit with your client and make a list of all the things they need, this can act as a tick list whenever they enquire about accommodation, helping them to independently be able to assess whether the accommodation will cater for their needs.
At the same time, it is worth making a list of all the things they want for their holiday. They may want somewhere dog-friendly, they may want to ensure that there are restaurants onsite or access to a garden area to sit outside, and local accessible attractions may also be a high priority. This can be another list that will help your client pin down the perfect getaway.
Organisation
Once the trip is booked and the dates are in the diary, it is time to start getting organised. Travel plans and timings, whether that be for flights, trains, buses or driving, must be considered in advance to ensure everything goes smoothly. Packing should also be organised ahead of time to ensure nothing is forgotten, a list can come in very handy here, especially for the priority items. Creating a list for important items like passports, medication, spare batteries for medical devices, a pump for wheelchair tyres, money, credit cards and other necessary items, will help ensure nothing is left behind.
Once this is all done, everyone can sit back and soak in the anticipation of going on holiday. It can be uplifting having something to look forward to and a refreshing break will always do wonders for a person’s wellbeing, especially if it all goes smoothly.
Comments