The Parkinson's Mailbag

Ivan’s Travel Tips for the PWP

The stereotype, it seems to me, of a typical Parkinson’s patient is a person in his 70’s or older. He or she is frequently at home, shut-in, or destined to move to a nursing home in the near future. How wrong this seems to me, when one considers the many PWPs that are actively living with PD, vibrant and traveling about enjoying life’s experiences. The Honorable Janet Reno, Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali are all out there, breaking the mold as they create a new picture of the person living with Parkinson’s disease.

Hence the following question: what can busy, on-the-go PWPs—the kind who never let the grass grow under their feet—do to make their travels more comfortable? This edition of the newly named “Parkinson’s Mailbag” will explore this question. I took stock of the tips for traveling that I make use of personally, and came up with the following suggestions. I hope that they will help you as you make your own plans.

Things to Bring for Extended Car Travel

Hats: An adjustable baseball cap with a long visor or any wide-brimmed hat that shades the eyes from the sun.

Gloves: Store a comfortable pair of inexpensive cotton gardening gloves in the glove compartment. They will help to compensate for slow, shaky fingers with poor blood circulation and keep your fingers warmer.

Neck Protection: To avoid stiffness, try wearing a cotton bandana or scarf around the neck. This is also useful if your hairline and neck area tend to sweat as a side effect of medication.

Plastic Medication Box: Always place a small pill box with a few spare pills in the glove compartment. I carry an almost circular, donut-shaped pillbox with one week’s supply of medications in it (seven compartments, one for each day of the week).

Travel Cups: I use plastic cups with tight-fitting lids and straws that have a 90—degree bend in them. I also make sure that the straws fit snugly inside of the lid hole. I find that I quite frequently make use of these cups. They are filled with iced water; diluted iced fruit juice; iced citrus soda; or iced tea with lemon and sugar. This allows me to swallow my pills with enough liquid to move into my bloodstream quickly, thus avoiding “off-periods”.

Handicapped Parking Permit: This can be an absolute “godsend” in reducing the walking distance from your vehicle to the store or office door.

Walking Stick, Cane/Walker, or Wheelchair: Whatever assistive device you need, please take it with you. Remember that once you are out and about, a walking stick, cane, or wheelchair may make whatever activity you are engaged in safer, particularly if your medication wears off a bit earlier than anticipated or if you get stuck in a “freezing episode”.

Handbags: Having your hands free for use is essential. A waist-high “fanny-pack” or a shoulder bag with shorter straps may be the two best options you can use. Also, plastic shopping bags with hand-grips built in are preferable to brown paper bags for carry items.

Hard Candies: PWPs usually benefit from a little sugar to keep them going. A sweet snack can help ward off parkinsonian fatigue and prevent an already slower-paced patient from dragging further behind. My favorite pick-me-up snack is chocolate peanut butter cups.

Car Blanket: This is always a necessity in cool or cold weather. A car blanket can prevent slow leg muscles from becoming cold and painful. Using a “hot sock” wrapped in a towel can also provide warmth while traveling short distances.

Wristwatch: Try using a watch that has a built in alarm to remind you that it’s time to take medication.

Checkbook, Credit Cards, and Wallet: Always consider whether a check or plastic card may be preferable to handling cash, especially if your fingers do not move as smoothly as they once did. Also, try to use a ballpoint pen that is easy to hold and with dark ink. This will help when signing cash slips or receipts, especially if your handwriting is small and difficult to read because of Parkinson’s.

Eyeglasses: Select a lens that darkens, such as a progressively darker deep gray or light brown tint. This will shield your eyes from bright light from the sky or sun or indoor spotlight glare. Wrap-around or wide lenses in ordinary sunglasses may be more helpful if you do not use reading or driving glasses normally.

These are some of the tips that I find especially helpful in my own travel. Since I update the list continuously, I’d welcome your comments. Until next time.