TravelWish Blog

Planning a vacation around serious illness is not like planning a regular trip. There are medications to transport, equipment to arrange, medical contacts to establish, and a hundred variables that 'typical' travelers never consider. It can feel overwhelming enough to abandon the idea entirely, but the logistics are manageable. Here's a checklist built specifically for families navigating travel with a seriously ill loved one- organized by timeline, so you know what to do whe

When time is uncertain, here's how to plan a vacation that is genuinely meaningful, not just logistically successful.

The healing isn't in the grandeur of the destination. It's in the interruption of ordinary suffering. It's in the proof that life still contains beauty, and that you are still part of it.

The equipment that keeps your loved one safe doesn't have to keep them home. Millions of people travel with complex medical needs each year. The logistics require advance planning, persistence, and a willingness to ask very specific questions. But the trip is possible. Here's how to make it happen. START WITH YOUR MEDICAL TEAM Before any booking, speak with your loved one's physician, specialist, and any equipment providers. You need: written clearance for travel, a medic

Serious illness is isolating by nature. Appointments replace social plans. Energy goes to survival, not connection. The world narrows. Group travel like a family trip, a friends weekend, or an organized travel experience, helps re-open the world a bit. Here are eight reasons why traveling with others is particularly therapeutic for people navigating life-limiting illness. 8 REASONS GROUP TRAVEL MATTERS 1. IT RESTORES A SENSE OF BELONGING Illness can make patients feel dis

Families are resilient. They are also not equipped to handle every dimension of a terminal illness without support. Professional counselors, including therapists, social workers, psychologists, grief counselors, family therapists aren't evidence that a family is failing. They mean that a family is serious about staying intact. SIGNS THAT PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT WOULD HELP Consider professional counseling when any of the following are present: • One family member is carrying

Medical systems are designed to do things. To treat, intervene, measure, respond. At the end of life, this default toward action doesn't always serve patients well, and it rarely serves their values. A comfort care plan is a document and a conversation that places your priorities at the center of medical decision-making. It isn't about giving up. It's about ensuring that the care you receive reflects the person you are. STEP 1: CLARIFY YOUR VALUES Before you can communica

Home is where most people wish to spend their final days. Thoughtful preparation will help create an environment of genuine comfort and dignity. Making a home ready for end-of-life care involves practical, medical, and emotional considerations. This checklist addresses all three. PHYSICAL COMFORT ☐ Arrange for a hospital-grade adjustable bed if the patient is spending significant time in bed ☐ Place the bed in a room with a view if possible. Natural light and outdoor v

Here is something worth knowing: the happiness a vacation produces doesn't begin when you arrive. It begins when you start planning. Research in positive psychology has consistently found that the anticipation of a pleasurable future event generates measurable mood improvements, sometimes more significant than the event itself. THE SCIENCE OF LOOKING FORWARD A landmark study published in Applied Research in Quality of Life found that vacationers reported their highest hap