International Supplies and Equipment Rental for Disabled Travelers
Posted April 13th, 2010 in helpful information and service provider review
Ready to roll on land, sea, and air!
Photo by: Jos van Galen (Stock Exchange)
Hello again, folks! On today’s Disabled Travelers I want to highlight some good general resources for wheelchair and oxygen users traveling abroad. Though many airlines supply free wheelchairs for handicapped travelers on airport grounds, it’s not always clear where to find medical and assistive equipment once you’ve reached your destination. Sure, we’ve discussed these logistical issues here and there on the blog, but since this is a vital part of travel for so many of us, I thought it should all be in one place. There are also some great NEW resources for your travel use.
Scootaround is one reputable company that constantly comes up in discussion of special needs travel. With over 500 locations throughout the United States, Scootaround will not only provide wheelchairs and ECV scooters, but will actually deliver them to your location and pick them up when you’re done. Wheelchair selection includes both manual and electric models, and there are expanded services for airlines and passengers.
Going on a cruise? Special Needs at Sea is the top choice for mobility equipment rental on the water. They work with you and your cruise line to ensure that appropriate equipment is available to you in a smooth, timely fashion. SNS provides wheelchairs, oxygen, and equipment for the hearing impaired, and are well-established with fourteen cruise lines.
For great information on keeping your wheelchair safe in travel or renting a wheelchair at your foreign destination, read this article. There are lots of great tips here that really give you an insight into the differences between wheelchair designs internationally that might affect what kind you need. There’s also a listing of several rental companies for wheelchairs and wheelchair-equipped vans. For more on van rental worldwide, visit Adapted Vehicle Hire.
For a bigger compendium of wheelchair resources, check out The Wheelchair Site. Providing a great consumer guide to wheelchairs of all kinds, as well as resources that will be of use to just about any wheelchair user, like chair-based exercises to maintain your health, it’s another good way to get to know your chair before you take it out on a major excursion. There are also links for rental and related services.
Traveling with oxygen? It’s now easier than ever thanks to the variety of travel oxygen concentrators you can bring with you on planes, trains, and buses. Oxygen Freedom’s Travel Oxygen Guide gives you all the facts on preparing to travel with medical oxygen. Specific tips are included for bus, train, plane, ship, and long-distance automotive travel. For rental, try TravelO2, which offers services to more countries than any similar provider I’ve seen.
That’s all we’ve got for now, but I’m always on the lookout for products and services to make handicapped travelers’ lives a little bit easier and a lot more fun. If you’ve had a great experience with a reputable supplier, write in and let me know. In situations like these, where integrity counts for everything, there’s nothing better than real endorsements to help people find what they need!
Hope to hear from you soon. Adventure on!
Si
