Articles on Medical Diseases and Conditions

Tag: holidays

  • Holidays

    If you plan your holiday carefully, you should have no major problems with travelling. Try and stick to a schedule that is not too demanding and, perhaps just as important, allow yourself time to rest at the other end. You might also consult your doctor when you are planning your journey to see if he or she has helpful advice. By and large most airlines are very good at providing extra help and assistance for people with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, as long as they are notified well in advance of your requirements.
    There are a range of tips and advice for longer journeys and holiday travel. If you have vision problems and you are travelling by car, you could enlarge any maps or written instructions before your journey begins. You could also use a highlighter pen on the map to mark out your journey or a magnifying glass with a light on to help you see the map.
    In relation to air travel make sure that you give notice on any special requirements you have (such as meals) well in advance. Many airports have motorized ‘buggies’ to transport people with disabilities. Do take advantage of these, and of porters if you can – you do not want to be too tired out before you have even got on the plane! Ask at the check-in (but preferably before) to try and ensure that your seat allows you to get in and out, and to move as freely as you can. If you take your wheel- chair or scooter with you, do make sure that it is properly and securely labelled and, if it has to be disassembled for travel, it might be wise to take the assembly instructions with you in case someone else has to assemble it again.
    If you are travelling overseas take a copy of your passport and any other key documents with you. You might find it helpful, if you are travelling with a companion, to have a change of clothes in each other’s luggage, just in case one of the bags is lost – it has happened! Take a special pillow with you for comfort on an aircraft or elsewhere. You might also want to take a small free-standing mirror with you. If you are in a wheelchair, most mirrors are often hard to get close to. Also a soap on a rope is useful.
    Investigate whether laundry facilities are available at your place of stay – if they are, you can often take fewer clothes with you. Obviously do check in advance whether your hotel, guest house or motel has any specially prepared rooms for people with disabilities, and especially people in wheelchairs.
    There are now a strikingly wide range of support services and organizations for people with MS, almost whatever their disabilities, who wish to take holidays at home or abroad. The key, as we have noted is to plan well in advance, and undertake thorough research about where, and particularly how, you wish to go.
    Information on holidays for those with any form of disability can be obtained from a number of sources and there are a rapidly increasing number of sites on the internet giving wide-ranging information. Perhaps a feature of these and other sites is what many people might think of as increasingly adventurous holidays for people with disabilities from skiing to sailing. For sailing the Jubilee Sailing Trust has for many years been offering active sailing holidays for those with disabilities as well as able-bodied people on its two tall ships; it also has a very comprehensive list of the websites of other disability organizations.
    There are an increasing number of specialist services who can help people with disabilities including, for example, Assistance Travel and Accessible Travel. Other services are increasingly being set up to assist people, not just with MS, who may require special assistance or support in arranging their holidays.

    Taking medicines abroad

    You should check that you have an appropriate supply of any drugs you are taking whilst you are abroad, for it may not be easy to obtain additional supplies. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a doctor with the necessary expertise, and drug availability and drug licensing conditions are often different. Some drugs may not be readily available – even on prescription in some countries – and certain drugs may only be prescribable by particular kinds of doctor (hospital specialists, for example). Some medicines really need to be kept cool so you may need a
    ‘cool bag’ to ensure that they are not spoilt.
    It may help to have a letter from your doctor explaining what drugs you are on and what they are for, to avoid possible customs problems, or if you need further supplies in the country to which you are travelling. Customs may well be very interested in your supply of needles if you self- inject, so a letter could get you out of trouble! If you feel you are a bit forgetful, or even if you are not, it is a good idea to divide your supplies into two, placing them in separate bags or suitcases just in case yours gets lost or mislaid. If you wear glasses, take your optician’s prescription with you in case you lose them. For general information, the Department of Health produces a leaflet called the Traveller’s Guide to Health (see Appendix 2). It is also worth repeating that you should have adequate health insurance, and be sure to list MS among what insurance companies call ‘pre-existing medical conditions’.

    Financial help

    There are some organizations that you can apply to if you need financial help for a holiday, although it is important to say that help will be based on your circumstances. These include:

    • the Holiday Care Service
    • the MS Society, both locally and nationally (although funds are limited)
    • some local authorities, and
    • local charities.

  • Day trips out

    Managers of theatres, cinemas or concert halls have generally been slow to understand and provide for the needs of people with disabilities. However, the situation is changing rapidly and people are more aware of the importance of disabled customers; negative publicity about access and other problems has helped push this along. Whilst many venues are more prepared for people with disabilities, it is a still a good idea to contact the management before you go, to explain your situation and what you will need. Some seats, or positions for wheelchairs, may be better than others, and notifying the venue in advance should ensure that your needs are better catered for. You may also find that certain performances (for example, matin?es) are less crowded than others.
    Provision for people with disabilities at cinemas has improved enormously in the last few years. There are still some problems for disabled cinema-goers, however, owing to the number of older 1930’s cinemas which have been converted into several screens. The ‘main’ screen is often in the circle of the old cinema and accessed only by several steps. However, a good number of ground-floor screens have wheelchair spaces with flat access, or via a few steps, possibly through a side exit.
    An increasing number of cinemas are using automatic computerized booking systems via the phone, where you can pay for your ticket by credit card and simply collect it on arrival. Some have an enquiry method for disabled patrons that puts you through to the management to make necessary arrangements. The larger cinemas have facilities available such as seats that provide additional leg room. To find out about the facilities for disabled patrons, contact the cinema showing your choice of film direct and ask for details.
    As far as theatres go, many of the larger venues now have adapted toilets and facilities. In some theatres, it may be necessary for the occupant of a wheelchair to be able to transfer into an aisle seat, with the wheelchair stowed elsewhere. In other theatres, seats can be removed with advance notice to make way for a wheelchair, while in others there are specific seat-less areas where a wheelchair user will be asked to sit. If you need assistance or a specific seat as an ambulant or visually impaired disabled person, or indeed for any disability, then do ask in advance. Usually the easiest access to seats will be on the same level as any wheelchair spaces, and/or you could ask for a seat at the end of a row if this is helpful.
    For other popular venues such as museums, galleries or arts centres, if you are unsure about access and facilities, contact the place concerned and ask in advance of your visit. Both access and the presentation of exhibits have been improved to suit disabled visitors, and facilities, such as catering and the provision of toilets, have been upgraded as well. Some major museums and galleries are large, making it difficult to walk or wheel all the way round in a single visit. Like most visitors, you may prefer to look at a museum/gallery map before or when you arrive, so you can select some of the things of greatest interest and plan the easiest route round. Some places will have on-site wheelchairs to borrow, but check and book these in advance if they are going to be a necessity. Ask about any entrance charges – most are free.
    Some arts centres are housed in modern, purpose-built buildings; others are based in old buildings such as Victorian town halls and churches that have been adapted for the purpose. Accessibility varies, but efforts have been made in recent years to cater better for disabled visitors. Many arts venues have multiple functions, and may include a cinema, theatre, concert hall, and an exhibition area. If you are in London, you may find it practical as well as interesting to visit a site or complex that has a number of such accessible possibilities within easy reach of each other, such as the South Bank or the Barbican centre.
    If you are going to a theatre, cinema or other venue in London, you could contact the London arts access information service, Artsline. As well as providing a telephone information line, Artsline has available an access guide to theatres in London called Open Door and a booklet entitled Disabled Access Guide to London’s West End Theatres.
    You should also check to see whether there are any services giving similar information in your area, from DIAL. Relevant help may be available from your local authority information service. Some past or present experiences may provoke you into joining one of the many local groups campaigning for better local access to public buildings and places.
    If you like visiting stately homes and gardens, the National Trust
    Handbook gives information about the suitability of its properties for people in wheelchairs, and there is a separate guide from them for properties that are particularly suitable. All give free admission to someone escorting a person in a wheelchair, and some have motorized buggies for those with mobility problems.
    Three other books give details of wheelchair access:

    • Places that care by Michael Yarrow
    • The National Gardens Scheme handbook, and
    • Historic houses, castles and gardens

    which list over 1300 properties of all types and gives information about access. Other possible sources of information are RADAR (the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation), and local disability groups, or your local MS Society may have information about access issues to places near to you.

  • General information on leisure activities and hobbies

    In many local areas there is a wide variety of sources of information about the availability of, and support for, leisure and recreational activities. Many general local facilities, such as swimming pools, sports centres, adult education colleges, cinemas, theatres and so on, have facilities for disabled people, and improvements to access and facilities are developing all the time. There is often an active local group dedicated to your particular interest. The service concerned or the centre in which the activity takes place should be able to give you the details – just give them a ring or visit them and tell them exactly what you require. Your local disability group, local social services or local library should also be able to provide you with information.
    Do not be put of f if your own particular interests appear not to be provided for at local day centres or at adult education evening classes. This may merely be the result of a perceived lack of demand, and almost any subject can be covered by an evening class when that need is demonstrated. Push for what you are interested in, use the relevant national contact organization to give you back-up and information if necessary, and get other local people involved.
    Local authorities are empowered under the Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons Act 1970 to help disabled people to enjoy a wide range of recreational activities. For instance, they may help people obtain a radio, television or similar leisure facility, and go on holiday. They may also provide lectures, games, outings and many other leisure pursuits, including social and youth clubs, and may help with travel to and from home. These recreational activities are covered under Section 2 of the
    1970 Act. Contact your social service department to ask for an assessment of your need for any such activity and to see if you fit the local eligibility criteria.
    Some local authorities also operate a travelling library service, which will call regularly at the homes of those who are unable to visit libraries. The arrangements for all local authority services dif fer considerably from area to area but it is certainly worth making enquiries via your social services.
    The PLANET (Play Leisure Advice Network) is a national information resource on all aspects of play and leisure for disabled people, and will be able to locate the headquarters of organizations specific to your leisure and hobby interests. These groups in their turn will be able to give you local contact details if they have branches or other contacts (see Appendix 1 for contact details).
    In addition to information that you can obtain through the MS Society, you may well find other groups offer help or support with a good knowledge of any disabilities that you might have, such as PHAB clubs which are for anyone with and without a disability. There are numerous PHAB clubs around the UK, of fering varied programmes of social activities (see Appendix 1 for contact details).

    Sport

    You should try keep as active as possible – especially if your mobility is affected. It is even more important that you try and exercise regularly to try and keep your muscles and joints working as well as you can. A very active sport may not be possible for all people with the disease, but activities like swimming are possible for many. People also enjoy tennis, squash, badminton, bowls, walking and snooker.
    The key thing is to make a judgement about how you actually feel (rather than what you might fear or worry about!) during and after an activity or sport. Dif ferent people with MS seem to have somewhat different reactions to activity; for example, some have a problem after getting very hot. If you do have concerns about particular sports, do consult your doctor and/or physiotherapist.
    There are specialist facilities for an increasing number of sports and organizations offering advice and support. There are many organizations specifically assisting disabled people’s interests in sport and leisure. Disability Sport England develops and coordinates sporting opportunities for disabled people. It has details of organizations connected to specific sports, for example, the British Association of Cricketers with Disabilities and the National Co-ordinating Committee for Swimming For People with Disabilities. In Wales there is also the Federation of Sports Associations for the Disabled in Wales, in Northern Ireland the British Sports Association for the Disabled – Northern Ireland; and in Scotland the Scottish Sports Association for People with a Disability (SSAD).
    You may find that you need some additional or specialist equipment to enable you to gain most from your chosen sport. Apart from items commonly used in the chosen sport and easily commercially available, there is a range of sport and leisure equipment produced by individuals, clubs and companies to overcome any particular difficulties you may face. If you need specialized equipment, it is likely that the organization connected to the sport or hobby (see above) will be able to give you practical advice based on personal experience. If the required item is not commercially available you may find REMAP of help. REMAP is a voluntary organization with a network of panels specializing in adapting or designing and making one-of f items of equipment for disabled individuals.

    Gardening

    There are many ways you can continue gardening, which can give so much pleasure, and many other people without MS find that they have to adapt the kind of gardening they do, either when their mobility or flexibility changes, or when they get older. Raised flower or vegetable beds help those with mobility problems, or those who are in wheelchairs, to continue gardening. Container-based gardening inside or outside is another possibility. In addition there are special aids and equipment.
    The principles of gardening are obviously just the same whether someone has MS or not, but the tools and methods of working may need consideration. It is usually unnecessary to buy a lot of new tools – first consider what tasks you need to carry out, assess your usage of the tools you already have, and consider any adaptations that could be made to make them work to your benefit (such as adding longer handles). With careful planning, the work required in the garden can be reduced.
    There are many books on plants that require less maintenance, on making gardening easier, and on accessible garden design. There are several books you can use to help you.
    Another organization that promotes horticulture for people with disabilities is Horticulture for All. The Gardens for Disabled Trust raises money to help those who are disabled take an active interest in gardening, and gives advice to those who wish to adapt their gardens.

  • Leisure, sport and holidays

    Although Multiple Sclerosis itself may cause some problems from time to time, and interrupt your life more than you might like, it is important to keep your leisure activities going as much as you can, not least because many of these will have given you a great deal of enjoyment in the past. They will also enable you to keep in touch with old friends, and make new ones. Indeed, leisure, sport and holidays may also enable you to place MS far more in perspective.
    Compared to a few years ago, there are a rapidly increasing number of opportunities for leisure, sport and holidays for people with MS with a range of disabilities.