4 Air Medical Service Tips for Flying Elderly Passengers
Elderly people are often too frail to fly. Once you factor in a health issue, the severity of their flight is amplified. However, flying elderly patients should still be very comfortable and convenient if you opt to fly with a professional air medical service company. Transporting senior or elderly patients requires double the care and specialized medical provisions to ensure that their flight remains as convenient as possible.
There are several ways that this convenience can be offered to aid in transporting elderly patients via air medical transport. Below are some essential factors to consider;
• Medical Escorts
In most non-emergency cases, the elderly patient would first need to be transported to where the air ambulance or aircraft is. The time leading up to when they are picked up from a medical facility or their home, down to the aircraft will set the stage for the actual flight. Trained medical escorts that know how to handle elderly patients in transit is crucial to the process. Maneuvering through traffic or airport security while still keeping the patient calm and stable is something they strive for.
• Medically Equipped Plane
It is imperative that the plane or aircraft is properly medically equipped. The health of elderly patients cannot be guaranteed to remain stable throughout the ride. It is, therefore, necessary that the plane is equipped with all the prerequisites of an ICU. Also, since stability and convenience are crucial when transporting the elderly by air, it is essential that the pilot is not just certified to fly medical aircrafts but has a wealth of experience doing so. They should also be well versed in the best route for the journey.
• Meal Preferences
Especially in non emergency cases, the dietary consideration of the elderly passengers must be factored into the pre-flight logistics. Professional air medical services should ask beforehand about the dietary preferences and allergies that the elderly passenger may have before they board. This should be communicated during the time of the reservation.
• In-Flight Medical Assistance
No elderly medical flight service is truly complete and equipped without making provisions for equipped toilets. For easy access and elderly assistance, it is paramount that there are handrails, service bells, and anti-skid floors. Aircrafts used to transport elderly patients should ensure that the toilets and bathrooms aren’t the custom small passenger type. Normal toilets would often be unfit for elderly transport.
Also, wheelchair services should be ready and accessible on demand for elderly assistance. On some occasions, the patient might not be able to sit through the entire flight. They might need to be moved from one part of the plane to another.
At Air Critical Care, we offer professional air medical services for elderly patients. Our elderly medical flight services include a team of competent nurses and medical personnel, aircrafts that have been custom fitted for elderly patients, and a medical escort service. Contact us today for a quote, and we will be glad to assist you with any other inquiries you may have.
