Can I come, too?

Blind and low vision group on summit Mt Koscuiko

Travelling presents a serious challenge for a large group of people. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistic nearly half the people aged 65 years and over have a disability. Some disabled people even avoid taking holidays altogether. This can impact if they have health challenges.

A collaboration between ECU’s School of Business and Law and Centre for Precision Health, has put forth the concept of ‘travel therapy’, which sees tourism as a means of improving mental health and wellbeing.

Researcher Dr Jun Wen said it is vital the tourism industry catered more to vulnerable people with physical or psychological disorders.

“Medical experts can recommend dementia treatments such as music therapy, exercise, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, sensory stimulation and adaptations to a patient’s mealtimes and environment,” Dr Wen said. 

“These are all also often found when on holidays.” 

Dr Wen said the varied nature of tourism meant there were many opportunities to incorporate treatments for conditions such as dementia. 

For example, being in new environments and having new experiences could provide cognitive and sensory stimulation. 

“Exercise has been linked to mental wellbeing and travelling often involves enhanced physical activity, such as more walking,” Dr Wen said. 

“Mealtimes are often different on holiday: they’re usually more social affairs with multiple people. Family-style meals have been found to positively influence dementia patients’ eating behaviour. 

“And then there’s the basics like fresh air and sunshine increasing vitamin D and serotonin levels. 

“Everything that comes together to represent a holistic tourism experience, makes it easy to see how patients with dementia may benefit from tourism as an intervention.”

“Most (disabled people) are able to travel but remain vulnerable during trips and need intensive services,” he said.

Have a Go News has researched some of the problems disabled travellers face and possible solutions.

Getting there

Airlines, trains and long-distance buses will usually carry wheelchairs and light mobility scooters free of charge. They will also provide wheelchairs to take disabled travellers from check-in to the aircraft and during transfers between aircraft.

To arrange assistance, contact the carrier a few days before you travel. Travellers to the US should be aware that wheelchair pushers expect a tip. 

If you plan to drive overseas take your ACROD sticker. It has no legal status internationally but most parking authorities will respect your needs.

Shazzy with the lanyard for autistic people

Hidden disabilities

Not every disability is obvious. People with limited sight and hearing, asthma, diabetes, chronic pain and sleep disorders or with neurological conditions may need assistance. They can opt to wear the Sunflower lanyard or wristband to discreetly identify their individual access needs.

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower acts as a prompt to let people around them know they have a non-visible disability and that they may need a helping hand, understanding, or simply more time. 

Clinical consultant nurse Shazzy Tharby said: “We have travelled with my autistic children to the UK and the sunflower lanyards provided by the airport were invaluable. 

“People were much more helpful with our invisible disabilities.”

Sunflower lanyards and wristbands are available free of charge from Perth Airport and at Whitfords Shopping Centre. 

Accommodation challenges

It is not always easy to find accessible accommodation, www.accessibleaustralia.com.au/ is a good place to start.

In regional Australia the local visitors centre may have a list of properties with accessible rooms. 

If using Air B&B or similar on-line booking services look for photos of the bathroom. If there are none you can count on it being difficult to use.

In Britain many hotels have an access statement, often with photos. It’s a great idea and worth asking for anywhere.

Julie Jones, author of havewheelchairwilltravel.net advises travellers to explain what their needs are when booking. The accommodation provider will either say they cannot cater for you, or describe the facilities they have.

If you are ringing a large chain hotel don’t ring their central reservations number. Find the hotel’s direct phone number. 

Make a written list of questions to ask. 

Is the shower entry roll-in? 

Does it have a hand-held option? 

Is a shower chair provided? 

Does the toilet have rails? 

What steps must be negotiated and do they have handrails? 

Are doorways wide enough for walker or wheelchair? 

Are switches and appliances accessible from a wheelchair height?

Is there room to manoeuvre a wheelchair round the bed?

Is there on-site disabled parking?

Dietary challenges

While vegetarians and gluten intolerant people are generally well catered for, people with other dietary intolerances may need to look around for suitable restaurants.

Sensory challenges
Blind and deaf travellers and those with dementia, have special problems, but they are not insurmountable.

James (Buck) McFarlane, runs Cockie Guides, a tourist company that has provided tours for more than 1500 blind and low vision travellers over the past five years.

“We take blind people to places like the summit of Mount Kosciusko, Cradle mountain and down an opal mine.

“We look at the destination to see what we can offer clients and provide sensory experiences – tastes, sounds, stories and the feel of the place.

“They must have ability to walk and use a cane or have an assistance dog.

“Our core business is blind and low vision people, but we have started to cater for deaf people by putting an Auslan interpreter on board bus. 

“We can’t handle people with multiple disabilities at same time. We don’t mix disabilities, if we did at least one person would miss out at any time,” he said.

WA Companion Card

Western Australians who need a carer’s support to participate in community events can apply for a companion card www.wacompanioncard.org.au.

Show the card when booking at a participating business, called an affiliate. Affiliates will issue the cardholder with a ticket for their companion at no charge.

What the industry can do

Dr Wen said there are numerous initiatives which could make destinations more accessible for vulnerable people. 

Not only is the tourism industry missing out on a large segment of the population, with an ageing population and increasing diagnoses of many conditions, the sector must cater to this group of people to thrive in the future

The research was published in Tourism Management and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

Previous articleAI can predict health risks later in life
Next articleHand-me-downs…
Frank Smith
Frank Smith was trained as an agricultural scientist in the UK, moving to WA in 1974 and shortly afterwards began lecturing at WAIT (now Curtin University) in soils and agronomy. In 1979 he joined the Agriculture Protection Board in charge of publications and media relations, studying part time for a degree in Journalism. In 1992 he spent a year as a visiting professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Later he ran a small publication company with his wife Mary-Helen. He then began freelance writing, editing and book indexing. He has written articles for more than 40 magazines in four continents and indexed more than 20 books. In 2007 he started writing for Have a Go News and gradually reduced his writing for other publications. He later took over the subediting, ensuring Have a Go News is consistent in style and highly readable. He and Mary-Helen live in a passive solar home in the Perth Hills with a varying collection of quendas and native birds.