A few years ago, when my mother’s Parkinson’s disease began to worsen, I realized that our family travels would never be the same. To ensure that she could continue to join us on our road trips (and that I could continue flying to NYC to help care for her at our apartment), I began looking for accessible travel products that would make mobility-conscious travel safer, easier, more comfortable, and ultimately possible.
My mom uses a wheelchair in addition to her walker when we travel, so it took a bit of trial and error to find what works best for her. Because every disability is different, and because people with the same disability may experience their disability differently, I also collected some products that my fellow travel-writing friends and colleagues use and recommend.
Traveling with a disability can be tough, so here are 13 travel products and mobility aids we swear by to make your next trip smoother, safer, and more accessible.
Compact Folding Travel Walker
Amazon
My mom uses a premium walker from Drive Medical around the house and for in-home appointments because it’s sturdy, easy to move, comfortable to sit on, and has lots of storage space. However, when we take the whole family on road trips, it’s a bit too bulky to fit in the car, so we usually bring a more compact foldable walker that can slide between the front and middle rows. While I’ve never had to fold my mom’s walker small enough to fit in checked luggage, I love that this foldable walker folds up small enough (20″ x 16.5″ x 3.9″) to fit in a suitcase.
Rempestia Walker Bag
Amazon
Whether it’s a quick road trip near my mom’s house or an extended stay in NYC with her visiting me, we always bring a walker bag that attaches to the top of the walker so she can easily access her phone, water bottle, magazines, and medications. We’ve tried a lot of bags, and none of them are perfect. But we like the Lenpestia walker bag because it’s big and has lots of compartments for easy organization. We also use the Uncle Yang walker bag, which we like because it has a big water bottle compartment and a zippered top. Just be aware that it’s a bit smaller and hangs down to the side.
Lift Aid Walking Belt
Amazon
It’s dangerous for my mom to walk alone, even with a walker, so she always wears a walking belt, which clips onto her waist like any other belt. I hold the belt behind her back while she walks, so I can support her if she stumbles and prevent her from falling. Pro tip: When using the walking belt, keep your hands away from the actual buckle to prevent it from accidentally coming loose. This version has a weight capacity of up to 300 pounds and is machine washable.
Xero Women’s Cassie Hemp Comfort Ballet Flats
Amazon
Comfort and practicality are the two most important qualities we look for in my mom’s travel shoes. She raves about these black New Balance velcro shoes because they’re easy to slip on and off and black blends in better than white. She also raves about Xero’s more stylish and lightweight Cassie shoes. These slip-ons are also easy to slip on, and their wide toe box and minimalist shoe design help strengthen foot muscles that are usually neglected when wearing more structured shoes.
CallToU Wireless Caregiver Pager
Amazon
Since my mom can’t get up and walk around (and sometimes has trouble getting around in her wheelchair), we use this CallToU buzzer system at home to let her know when she’s hungry, needs to go to the bathroom, or just needs a book to read. We also take the buzzer with us when we travel so she can easily call for help in any vacation rental, B&B, or traditional hotel we stay in together. Sometimes our family is spread out in adjacent rooms in a hotel, so if we put a wall charger in the room next to where my mom is buzzing, the signal is strong enough that the device will ring in the next room too.
Travel Strap + Hidden Disability Medical Awareness Card
Amazon
When my mother comes to see me on a plane, I rely on a sturdy neck strap to keep her ID and boarding pass safe, especially when I’m not with her. We use neck straps with a pouch to hold things inside, but some travelers use neck straps as a way to express their invisible disability. The sunflower is an international symbol of invisible disabilities, ranging from cognitive and neurodevelopmental disabilities to physical disabilities, hearing impairments, sensory impairments, and visual impairments. The sunflower symbol is still not as widely recognized in the United States as it is in other countries, but awareness is growing, so many travelers prefer to wear a sunflower neck strap. This lets others know that you need extra help, understanding, or simply a little more time. If you don’t want a sunflower, a plain neck strap with a pouch or pocket is also a convenient way to hold your ID. You can also choose one that clearly states “invisible disability.”
Essential medical supplies toilet support bar
Amazon
We love our toilet support bars so much that we have one set at my mom’s house, one at home, and a third set for travel. While I could certainly use my mom’s set for the trip, I’ve found it much more convenient to have a separate set for travel. That way I can set them aside when packing for a road trip and not risk forgetting something, as I’ve done in the past. While it’s certainly not practical to bring them on a plane, they’ve been extremely helpful on road trips, because even the most accessible hotel rooms usually only have one support bar on the wall next to the toilet, and it’s much easier for my mom to get up and sit down if she can grab a bar on either side of the toilet.
Pepe Folding Cane
Amazon
My mom now needs more support than a cane alone can provide, but for travelers who can get by with one, this folding cane from Pepe is perfect. One of my travel writer colleagues specifically recommended it, saying that her husband, who has multiple sclerosis, finds regular canes cumbersome while traveling and loves this cane, which folds up and fits into the side pocket of his backpack. She explains that the cane is easy to grab, can be shaken into place as you go through security, and then folds up and stows away.
Hydro Flask Water Bottle
Amazon
By chance, we discovered that this kid’s water bottle worked so well for my mom that it became her go-to water bottle for two years. In fact, we have four water bottles that my mom uses at home, on day trips, and while traveling. Not only is this bottle insulated (keeping drinks cold in the summer and hot in the winter), it’s leak and drop resistant, has a non-slip exterior, and has a handle for easy carrying. Because of Parkinson’s, my mom has difficulty drinking from a cup (because her hands shake) and drinking from a long straw (because it’s hard to suck up liquid into a long straw), and the short built-in straw solved both of those problems. We love this water bottle. It’s so small that sometimes we borrow it to carry in our hip pouch when we’re running errands.
Renfo Massage Gun
Amazon
For those who rely on physical therapy to manage chronic pain or muscle issues, missing out on physical therapy while traveling can be very difficult (and painful). In these cases, a small massage gun may be helpful. I like the Renpho Thermacool Massage Gun, which allows you to apply heat or cold as well as adjust the intensity of the vibrations. However, if you need help reaching hard-to-reach areas like your lower back, the Renpho Reach Massage Gun, which has a detachable extension handle, may be a better choice.
Voxon Door Alarm 2 Pack
Amazon
Door alarms like this one can be extremely helpful if you have elderly parents who are prone to wandering. My colleague used one to stop her father from wandering away from the house, and she even brought one with her when traveling and stuck it on the hotel door. If the parent tries to wander away, the buzzer will sound to let them know. I don’t have direct experience, but I know that some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are runaways. That means they run or wander to get something they want (such as a toy in the store) or to get away from a situation that causes them anxiety. The Autism Speaks organization recommends using battery-powered alarms (such as this one) on doors to prevent autistic wandering.
Mossim pill organizer
Amazon
Anyone who takes multiple doses of medication each day will appreciate the convenience of a medicine case. There are many medicine cases on the market, but the best one for you or your loved one will depend on the amount of medication they need and how often they take it. I like this case because it has compartments for morning, midday, evening, and bedtime medications. These are very common times for seniors to take medication. Previously, my mother took her medication five times a day, which was difficult because most of the medicine cases on the market only had 3-4 pill compartments per day. So, we bought a 7-day medicine case with 7 compartments per day. It was more than we needed, but it was useful. The slots didn’t have specific times written on them, so I hand-wrote the times my mother needed her medication with a permanent marker.
If you plan to travel with medications or medically necessary equipment (such as IV bags, syringes, pumps, etc.), please review the TSA’s Disabilities and Health Conditions page and Traveling with medication video.
Spring Rose Adaptive Front Closure Bra
Spring Rose
Adaptive clothing is often an afterthought, and bras were one of the hardest items for my mom to get into shape. She struggles to reach over her head or behind her back to hook her bra. I love Springrose’s adaptive bras because they are specially designed for people with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, shoulder injuries, and strokes. You can pull the bra over your head or shoulders, or you can step in and put it on. To fasten the bra, you simply pull the tabs on the front, instead of reaching over and struggling with a little metal clasp. My mom has since transitioned to tank tops with built-in bras, but I wish I had known about Springrose bras when she struggled with bra extenders. They would definitely have been a game changer for traveling.
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