Estimated Reading Time 3 minutes
In our Lunch & Learn on August 10, we shared…
- Our Parenting Special Needs Magazine “Tech Tools to Get You Back to School Ready”
- Checking out Hotspots for access to free internet on-the-go
- “If I Need Help” system
- Medication management
- Wheelmate App
- Wheelchair rentals & theme park tips
- Google Maps and how their accessibility features work
- Hilton App for picking out hotel rooms
Travel Tips
Whether you’ve already hit the road and want to share what you have learned or you are planning a big trip to round out the summer, we shared some of our favorite travel tips that were centered around a recent blog post, Family Travel with a Disability
You might be visiting a highly populated area or have a loved one that tends to wander. Check out the “If I Need Help” system, where users can register their loved ones on the website for free, and create a “live” profile that can be updated in real-time with pictures, descriptions, etc. You can then print a QR code for your family member that can be used as a wearable tag.
Maybe you know that you are going to be out of your routine when you are on vacation and are interested in looking for ways that you can easily manage medications, set up reminders, etc. We shared the Medisafe app that can help you with your medication tracking needs. You can read the full app review or watch the video.
When you are traveling, its always nice to “know before you go”. We love Google Maps and the ability to read the reviews can make the world of difference when you are traveling with someone in a wheel chair. There are also some great crowd sourcing apps like “WheelMate” where others report local businesses with accessible amenities. This video gives tips for how you can search for accessible amenities using the Google Maps app.
We found that in some beaches you can reserve a recumbent wheelchair that can wade in the ocean waves. Sometimes you can even rent them ahead of time, so that you don’t have to worry about them being gone by the time you arrive. Planning your trip and making phonecalls ahead of time to reserve these wheelchairs, find the best place to store walkers, etc will help your trip to go smoother.
Book hotel rooms on Hilton.com. You can choose accessible rooms for hearing and/or mobility during your search. We love the Hilton app that allows you to check-in up to 24 hours ahead time, where you pick out the best room for your needs by seeing a floor plan. When you arrive, there is no need to wait in line, simply use your digital key and head straight to your room. Many of these hotel chains also offer points that can be doubled and tripled for free nights.
If you missed our event and would like to download a copy of our slide deck, we’ve included it in this post. We also shared some app lists to check out some of our favorite road trip apps. Our small group meets every other week on different topics, but it might vary some with holidays.
Mark your calendars for our next Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, August 24.