This is the time of the year that people hit the road for some well-deserved vacation and people with MS can do the same, usually with a little forethought. The following tips will help you as you plan your next trip:

Renting Mobility Devices When Traveling

If you do not want to travel with your scooter or wheelchair, or only need one for long trips, you can rent one at your destination or for your whole trip. The following vendors can help you:

Scootaround, Inc. specializes in scooter and wheelchair rentals with over 1,500 locations around North America. They offer a 7-day a week toll-free number and a full-featured website where customers can arrange rentals. Scootaround services have also extended to contracts with the major airlines in the servicing and repair of passenger mobility equipment that has been damaged in transit.

Phone: (888) 441-7575

Air Travel

This downloadable brochure is a comprehensive guide to air travel with a disability and answers common questions about getting assistance at the airport and onboard the plane, how to fly with one’s scooter or wheelchair and the rights of travelers with disabilities.

Hotels

These helpful tips will make choosing and staying in a hotel a less stressful experience: If a hotel offers shuttle transportation to and from the airport, it must be wheelchair accessible. Otherwise, the hotel must provide the same service via an accessible vehicle at no charge to the person with a disability. New Mobility magazine (www.newmobility.com) and www.wheelchairtraveling.com are good online resources for choosing accessible hotels. They suggest that the best people to ask about hotel accessibility are the housekeeping and maintenance staff as they know the rooms more intimately than anyone else on staff. Www.wheelchairtraveling.com even cites a list of questions to ask before booking to ensure that your room is accessible. If you have asked all of these questions and have requested an accessible room and you find that an appropriate room is not available when you arrive you should know that the hotel is obligated to find you another room either at that hotel or at another local hotel, at their cost, that will accommodate your needs.

Traveling with self-injectable medications

Many MS treatments can be carried on the plane with you. In fact, carrying on ensures that you are not separated from your medication and that you can keep it cold in a small insulated bag. Carry a note from your doctor through security attesting to the medical necessity and put your medication with your other carry-on liquids. Your medication can be kept cool during your stay by using the small refrigerator in your hotel room or by requesting one if it is not already provided.

IMSMP does not endorse, sponsor or recommend products, services or manufacturers. Such names appear here solely because they are considered valuable information. IMSMP assumes no liability for the use of any product, service or manufacturer mentioned. This list of resources is for your convenience only. Product and services information is the sole responsibility of each individual vendor.