How to Stay Healthy While Travelling After 60
Travelling after 60 can be one of the best parts of having more freedom and time.
Whether you are heading overseas for a few weeks, taking a cruise or finally booking a trip you have been thinking about for years, a little extra preparation can make travelling much easier.
You do not need to treat getting older as a reason to stop exploring.
You simply need to think about a few things before you leave.
Here are some practical ways to look after your health while travelling after 60.
1. Organise a Health Check Before You Travel
If you are travelling overseas, it is worth discussing your plans with your doctor or a travel health professional before you leave.
Healthdirect recommends doing this well before departure, particularly if you may need vaccinations.
Your doctor can consider your destination, health, medications, vaccination history and the activities you plan to do.
This is particularly useful if you have an existing health condition or will be doing considerably more physical activity than usual.
Do not leave this until the week before your flight.
2. Get Your Medications Organised
Running out of medication overseas is a problem you do not want.
Before leaving Australia, make sure you have enough medication for the trip and understand any restrictions that apply at your destination.
Healthdirect and Smartraveller recommend keeping medicines in their original labelled packaging and carrying documentation from your doctor explaining prescribed medicines when appropriate. Some medicines that are legal in Australia may be restricted elsewhere.
It is also sensible to keep essential medication accessible during your journey rather than putting everything somewhere difficult to reach.
If you are crossing multiple time zones and are unsure when to take your medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist before leaving.
3. Check Your Vaccinations
There is no single list of travel vaccinations that every person over 60 needs.
What is appropriate depends on factors including your destination, health, vaccination history, season and type of travel.
Routine vaccinations may also need reviewing.
Healthdirect recommends speaking with your doctor well before travelling so there is enough time for any vaccinations you may require.
You should also check the current health and entry advice for every country you plan to visit.
4. Take Long Flights Seriously
Long periods of sitting can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis, commonly called DVT.
During long journeys, try to get up and move when possible, exercise your feet and legs while seated and stay hydrated.
Healthdirect also recommends avoiding alcohol when trying to reduce blood clot risk during long distance travel.
Some people have a higher risk of developing DVT than others.
If you have previously had a blood clot, recently had surgery or have another reason you may be at increased risk, speak with your doctor before travelling.
Do not automatically assume you need compression stockings. Healthdirect recommends asking your doctor whether they are appropriate for you.
5. Give Yourself Time to Adjust
One of the advantages of travelling after retirement is that you may not need to rush.
Use that freedom.
You do not need to land after a long international flight and immediately spend ten hours sightseeing.
Allow yourself time to sleep, eat properly and adjust to the new time zone.
Jet lag can cause tiredness, difficulty sleeping, mood changes and digestive problems. Healthdirect notes that adjustment can become more difficult as we get older.
Daylight exposure, keeping naps short, limiting alcohol and gradually adjusting your sleep can help.
Melatonin may be appropriate for some people, but speak with your doctor before taking it, particularly if you use other medicines.
6. Build Your Walking Fitness Before You Leave
Many holidays involve much more walking than everyday life.
Airports, train stations, museums, tours and sightseeing can quickly add thousands of extra steps to your day.
If your trip is going to involve considerably more activity than you normally do, start preparing before departure.
Healthdirect recommends gradually increasing your fitness before travelling if you expect to be more physically active than usual.
You do not need an extreme training program.
Regular walking and appropriate strength exercise in the weeks before your trip can make long sightseeing days much more manageable.
7. Do Not Overload Your Itinerary
Trying to see everything can make a holiday less enjoyable.
Instead of planning activities from breakfast until bedtime every day, leave some space.
A slower morning, afternoon coffee or completely free day can be part of the holiday rather than wasted time.
This becomes particularly useful on longer trips.
You might remember three relaxed weeks in Italy much more fondly than ten exhausting days trying to see every major city.
8. Be Sensible With Food and Water
Food and water safety varies considerably between destinations.
Before travelling, check the health advice for the countries you are visiting.
Depending on the destination, you may need to be more careful about drinking water, ice, raw foods or food preparation.
Healthdirect recommends checking destination specific advice rather than assuming food and water standards will be the same as Australia.
9. Pack a Small Health Kit
You do not need to take an entire pharmacy with you.
A simple travel health kit might include items such as:
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Adhesive bandages
Antiseptic
Any regular medicines
Any appropriate over the counter medicines you normally use
Healthdirect recommends preparing basic first aid supplies before travelling.
What you pack should depend on your destination, activities and individual health needs.
10. Do Not Skip Travel Insurance
Medical treatment overseas can become extremely expensive.
Travel insurance deserves particular attention after 60 because age limits, medical exclusions, excesses and cover for existing health conditions can vary considerably between policies.
Do not simply choose the cheapest policy.
Check what the policy actually covers, including:
Medical treatment
Existing medical conditions
Medical evacuation
Cancellation
Medication or medical equipment
Activities you intend to participate in
Smartraveller also recommends checking the Product Disclosure Statement carefully because conditions and age related requirements vary between insurers.
If you already have an article comparing travel insurance for Australians over 60, send me that exact URL and we should internal link it here.
11. Know Where to Get Help
Before travelling overseas, check the current Smartraveller advice for your destination.
It can provide important information about health risks, local conditions and other issues affecting Australian travellers.
It is also worth knowing how to contact your travel insurer and where you would seek medical assistance at your destination.
Do not assume the healthcare system will operate the same way it does in Australia.
12. Listen to Your Body
Perhaps the simplest advice is also some of the most useful.
If you are exhausted, rest.
If it is extremely hot, slow down.
If something does not feel right, do not ignore it simply because you do not want to interrupt the holiday.
There is no prize for squeezing the maximum possible number of attractions into every day.
The goal is to enjoy the trip.
Travelling After 60 Should Still Be an Adventure
Getting older does not mean becoming afraid of travel.
It means travelling with a little more preparation.
Organise your medications.
Check your health before leaving.
Prepare physically for the trip you are planning.
Give yourself enough time to enjoy where you are.
And leave some space in the itinerary for the unexpected.
If the planning itself is starting to feel overwhelming, our guide to travelling overseas after 60 covers the practical side of preparing for an international trip:
Then go and enjoy it.
What is one thing you do differently when travelling now compared with when you were younger?
