Choosing accommodation when traveling

Your needs change as you age, and this carries over into all aspects of life, including choosing where to stay when traveling. Seniors often make modifications to their own homes to ensure safety and comfort, so it only makes sense to give your accommodation selections equal attention, whether you're taking an extended vacation or simply making a quick sojourn.

Location
Getting around can become more difficult as you age, which makes selecting accommodations that are near to where you want to go essential. You'll want to make sure your hotel is in close proximity to your ultimate destination or at the very least near taxis or public transportation that will make reaching destinations easier.

Choosing to stay near popular tourist attractions may be more expensive but will make it more effortless to take in what you want to see. In addition to requiring less physical exertion on your part, this will also reduce stress, as you won't have to worry about things like parking or making it to a certain location on time.

Use Google Maps next time you're planning a trip. This tool will show you how far away you'll be from various locations, as well as how close you are to public transportation.

However, it's also important to keep safety in mind.

"Whether you're remaining in the country or traveling overseas, find out what parts of your destination are considered safest."

Experts agree that criminals often target tourists and may look at senior travelers as easy prey. This makes it vital to ensure you're staying in a safe area.

Whether you're remaining in the country or traveling overseas, do your research into what parts of your destination are considered safest. You can easily find statistics regarding crime online at sites like MyLocalCrime.com.

Also keep in mind that some parts of the world may be dangerous to visit at certain times. Political unrest or military actions in foreign countries can make them hazardous for strangers to visit, so it's important to stay up to date on what's happening where you're heading. You can find travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State explaining alerts and warnings for different countries at any given time.

Regardless of where you're going, it's important to choose lodging that will suit your specific physical needs.

For instance, staying on the ground floor of a hotel will likely be preferable to climbing stairs every day to reach your room. Likewise, if you or one of your traveling partners uses a wheelchair, having a room with wide doorways will be essential.

Other factors to consider include whether your lodging features a walk-in shower and tub, if there are handrails and grab bars throughout the rooms and if non-skid strips and decals can be found throughout the accommodations.

You can find senior-friendly lodging by heading online to AccessibilityPass.org. This site features listings for accommodations that participate in the Accessibility Pass initiative, which is intended to improve lodging options for individuals with mobility challenges.

Finding the right accommodations shouldn't put a damper on your trip.

Insurance
Any time you leave the comfort and security of your own home, it's a smart idea to plan ahead for what might go wrong. No one wants his or her trip ruined by injury or illness, but such occurrences do happen, and it's best to be in a position to recoup your losses.

Travel insurance can help you recover money lost from canceled trips or extra expenses if the worst should happen while traveling. This can apply to extra costs incurred from your accommodations as well. After all, if you become ill and must fly home, it's not fair that you would still have to pay for a hotel room you won't be staying in.

Additionally, it's important to remember that if you rely on Medicare as your primary form of insurance coverage, you will leave yourself vulnerable once you exit the country. Medicare is only intended to cover expenses in the U.S., so getting a quote for travel insurance is even more necessary if you're leaving American borders behind for a while.

Discounts
Growing older can come with unique benefits of its own where selecting accommodations is concerned. Not only may you be eligible for a senior discount at many hotels, but you can also take the savings further by searching for special discounts on plane and train tickets.

Senior discounts can also be found at various sites and attractions, not to mention restaurants. Doing a little research into where these discounts can be found and how they can be used in the area you're traveling to can go a long way toward reducing the costs of your trip.

Sites like SeniorDiscounts.com can help you track some down, but it's also a good idea to just ask whenever you're booking a trip or visiting a new place.