To Boldly Go

Passport? Check. UV sanitizer? Check.
Travel Aids for Your Next Adventure

by Bill Norman

For people with disabilities, travel can present both wonderful opportunities and daunting obstacles — the latter due to the inaccessibility of transportation, accommodations and popular tourist sites.

The good news is that many countries are making more locations accessible to wheelchairs. And even more good news: Increasing numbers of devices and services are appearing on the market for the specific purpose of facilitating travel for those with disabilities.

Here’s a little taste of what’s available:

Lovehandles

Lift and carry. Traveling often necessitates several transfers in and out of a wheelchair, sometimes performed by inexperienced helpers or in tight spaces. To make these transfers safer and easier, especially at the end of a tiring day, a “gait belt,” a thick belt that quickly secures around the torso, provides a surer grip. Price: around $20.

For more safety and greater hoisting power during transfers and positioning, consider the Liftvest, a lightweight vest with strategically placed strap handles. Available in several materials and in adult or child sizes; prices start at $175.

A sling-type carrier allows two people to safely lift a person off the ground, such as in or out of a boat or up a flight of tour bus steps. Sling carriers also serve as emergency evacuation devices. The Comfort Carrier, designed by a quadriplegic, fits between the back of the wheelchair user and the chair; two flaps fit beneath the thighs; handles are attached to straps of seat belt-like material in front and back. Price: about $250.

The Comfort Carrier

The Lovehandles carry seat by Redbarn Enterprises (approximately $400) can carry up to 250 pounds and folds to fit in a suitcase.

Portable grab bars. Used in the bathroom or on a hotel nightstand, portable grab bars provide a sturdy gripping point for steadying, standing and transferring. Grabit Portable Grab Bars attach to any smooth, flat, non-porous surface by flipping two levers that create a vacuum able to withstand up to 200 pounds of pulling force. Plastic bars come in various lengths. Prices range from about $70 to $135.

Commode, shower & tub chair. Small bathrooms can become accessible with portable shower/commode chairs, which provide wheeled access and a safer perch on the potty. Travel chairs come apart and store in a carry case, some of which have wheels and a telescoping handle and look like regular luggage. A travel “bath transfer system” (Nuprodx or Go! Mobility) features a separate commode chair that connects to a rail system that slides the occupant right in over the tub. Prices range from about $1,500 to $3,500.

Grabit Portable Grab Bar

Quick clean-ups. Travel-sized wet wipes (diaper wipes) are an easy way to stay fresh between baths. A little-known perk: Used right away, they also remove most food stains on clothes when lunch decides to take a trip down your shirt. To get into a lather, bring along a rinse-free body wash or shampoo; about $5 a bottle. For hair, a “no-rinse shampoo cap” looks like a shower cap, but transfers shampoo directly to hair, where it can be gently massaged in; about $5 for a single-use cap. Another product for quick hair clean-up is a waterless or “dry” shampoo in a pump or aerosol bottle. These products absorb oil, add fullness and leave a nice scent behind. Priced from $10 to $30. (Tip: try products at home first to be sure there’s no skin sensitivity.)

Keep germs at bay. Sanitize eating utensils, bathroom surfaces, telephones, remote controls, airplane tray tables and more with ultraviolet light. The cell-phone-sized Zadro Nano UV Disinfectant Scanner kills bacteria and viral DNA. Operates on two AAA batteries; priced at about $80.

Protective cases for wheelchairs. Veteran flyers know all too well the damage that can occur to the chair both from rough handling and from banging around in the cargo hold. One solution is the Haseltine Flyer — a hard polyethylene case that completely encloses the chair. Models are available for both manual and power wheelchairs, with prices about $370 and $690, respectively. Weighing in at 33 and 55 pounds, they’re not lightweights, but they are sturdy.

Customer service departments at American, Delta/Northwest and United Airlines all say they will transport wheelchairs inside hard cases at no charge, provided there is sufficient room on the aircraft. For that reason, it’s important that travelers call the airline in advance to advise of their intentions.

For more information about finding the travel aids described above, check out the resources in InfoQuest.

Traveling the World (Wide Web)

A multitude of Web sites carry information pertinent to travelers with disabilities. Here are several:

Accessible Journeys
www.disabilitytravel.com
Focusing primarily on tours and vacations (for both individuals and groups) for those it terms travelers with wheels, the site also offers information about subjects such as where to locate ATMs in other countries, federal laws that prohibit discrimination against disabled travelers, discounted hotels and a foreign currency converter.

All About Disabled Travel
www.allaboutdisabledtravel.com
Created by a registered nurse, the site has information about topics such as travel insurance, travel books for people with disabilities, travel agents, advice about specific modes of travel (air, cruise, train, etc.) and exercise and fitness while traveling.

DisabledTravelers.com
www.disabledtravelers.com
Includes details about how to locate a traveling companion, how to locate accessible van and equipment rentals and how to arrange a vacation exchange of one’s home for one in another country.

Travel Oasis
www.traveloasis.com
Along with many travel accessories, this site lists the electric current specifications for most countries in the world, the types of electric plugs required and models of transformers that may be required to decrease or augment voltages so they’re compatible with American devices such as wheelchair chargers. The site also lists specifications for telephone wall plugs and adapters.

Wheelchair
www.newdisability.com
This site is notable for its extensive list of, and contact information for, agencies in other countries that rent wheelchairs and wheelchairaccessible vans. It also includes an informative discussion about how wheelchair construction and power needs vary by country.

Mo’ stuff

Maybe you need it, maybe you don’t:

Bypass the wand. One way to avoid long lines at airport security checkpoints is the Clear card, accepted at more than 20 urban airports. Travelers insert the card at a Clear kiosk for expedited passage. The card costs $50 for three months and $199 for a year. Card applicants must provide a variety of ID, including images of their fingerprints and irises. For a list of airports that accept the card, visit www.flyclear.com.

Luggage locator. Baggage can all look alike on an airport carousel. Spot your gear quicker with Magellan’s Luggage Locator (about $20). Attach the receiver to your luggage; keep the remote with you. Press its button when baggage shows up, and the receiver will light up and beep loudly.

Motion-activated LED light. Particularly when visiting new surroundings, stumbling or wheeling around in the dark can be dangerous. These motion-activated lights can be placed in strategic positions, such as a room entrance or the head of the stairs. They illuminate only when the sensor is triggered by activity. Cost: about $20 for one. Runs on four C batteries.

Toasty tootsies. Traveling can be a chilly experience. One solution is a heated travel blanket that works on the 12 volts of direct current available in most motor vehicles, some boats and some aircraft. Blankets come in several sizes, including big enough for two. Special features include extra-long cords, automatic temperature control and automatic shut-off after 30 or 45 minutes of use. Prices start at about $25.