I'm only 46 and DH is 48 and hoping to get into RV'ing within a few years time. One aspect that bothers me is health management issues.We're not Americans and have traveled a lot in the US and Canada in the past few years. We always had (and will have in future trips) good health insurance, so that's not the problem. What I wonder about is routine ongoing health management in our 50's and beyond while doing the RV thing. Do you have to be exceptionally healthy to pick up this lifestyle? How do you manage with routine checkups, blood tests, blood pressure management and other procedures that you would normally see your local doctor about if you keep moving across states/countries? Do you have a regular doctor who knows you and your file and is available via phone/emails? I'm also worried about being so far away from emergency health services at times. We traveled across the Yukon last summer and even though we're relatively young and healthy, it bothered me that were often extremely far away from a good hospital. Would love to hear how others are handling these aspects.

kerrlakeRoo wrote:If you are healthy and only need an occasional visit, a doc in a box may be appropriate. If you know you will be wintering in one region most of the time, setting up a primary care provider there may be most appropriate. Nevada for example for someone who winters in Nv, Az, and southern Ut and Ca, will be within a couple hours drive of a Vegas Doctor, and if they tend to spend summers in Wy, Or, Ca, Id or Ut, they are still within a couple hours drive of northern Nevada. Both the northern and southern offices would be electronically attached and able to read your information if they are both affiliated with the State University medical system.Not knowing what type of policy your able to get, makes it difficult to suggest anything specific.

Transport to a 'good hospital' is available from just about anywhere in the US including Alaska. You are relatively young for RVers and health issues should not be a concern at all while traveling in the US or Canada.

YOu can always find a climic and just walk in. You have nothing but time. YOu are young and healthy. Get out there.

Well, I would say it depends first on your overall health. After that, if you're both healthy then it comes down to convincing yourself mentally that "you can do it."Me n my wife, we're 45y/o and as I type this on our 23rd anniversary today, my wife has had uhhhh 10? At least heart surgeries or procedures including a couple open hearts, a thorocotomy, half dozen heart caths and some other surgeries like a pericardial window. Suffice it to say, if she wants to live, she can't be out of range of her cardiac team. However she's totally healthy right now (comparatively speaking) and would go anywhere we wanted to head. 2 years ago, 2 months after most of a year in the hospital, we packed up the kids and camper and took off for a month. If SHTF in BFE somewhere, her opinion was better then sitting at home worrying about it. IMO if you DO have serious health issues, it's more time to go live life and not sit at home if you're able. Heck, even if full timing, we could drive back to Seattle and park the RV there. Guess it depends on how you want to live life. Me, I'd take off across the tundra with a backpack and a rifle tomorrow. If I get eaten by a grizz or die of a heart attack or fall off a cliff.....whatever. I was living life while I was around. BTW, we'll be pulling the boat out for the first time tomorrow and $20 says my wife is drinkin ciders and probably take a rip on the wakeboard or surfboard. After going through this with her...I/we learned time is precious. Go do what you want to while you can and don't worry about the little stuff.

Health care issues while RV'ing | Good Sam Community

kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
*duplicate*
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
kerrlakeRoo wrote:
If you are healthy and only need an occasional visit, a doc in a box may be appropriate. If you know you will be wintering in one region most of the time, setting up a primary care provider there may be most appropriate.
Nevada for example for someone who winters in Nv, Az, and southern Ut and Ca, will be within a couple hours drive of a Vegas Doctor, and if they tend to spend summers in Wy, Or, Ca, Id or Ut, they are still within a couple hours drive of northern Nevada. Both the northern and southern offices would be electronically attached and able to read your information if they are both affiliated with the State University medical system.
Not knowing what type of policy your able to get, makes it difficult to suggest anything specific.
mockturtle
Explorer II
Jun 16, 2018
Transport to a 'good hospital' is available from just about anywhere in the US including Alaska. You are relatively young for RVers and health issues should not be a concern at all while traveling in the US or Canada.
ppine
Explorer II
Jun 16, 2018
YOu can always find a climic and just walk in. You have nothing but time. YOu are young and healthy. Get out there.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 16, 2018
Well, I would say it depends first on your overall health. After that, if you're both healthy then it comes down to convincing yourself mentally that "you can do it."
Me n my wife, we're 45y/o and as I type this on our 23rd anniversary today, my wife has had uhhhh 10? At least heart surgeries or procedures including a couple open hearts, a thorocotomy, half dozen heart caths and some other surgeries like a pericardial window.
Suffice it to say, if she wants to live, she can't be out of range of her cardiac team.
However she's totally healthy right now (comparatively speaking) and would go anywhere we wanted to head.
2 years ago, 2 months after most of a year in the hospital, we packed up the kids and camper and took off for a month. If SHTF in BFE somewhere, her opinion was better then sitting at home worrying about it.
IMO if you DO have serious health issues, it's more time to go live life and not sit at home if you're able.
Heck, even if full timing, we could drive back to Seattle and park the RV there.
Guess it depends on how you want to live life.
Me, I'd take off across the tundra with a backpack and a rifle tomorrow. If I get eaten by a grizz or die of a heart attack or fall off a cliff.....whatever. I was living life while I was around.
BTW, we'll be pulling the boat out for the first time tomorrow and $20 says my wife is drinkin ciders and probably take a rip on the wakeboard or surfboard.
After going through this with her...I/we learned time is precious. Go do what you want to while you can and don't worry about the little stuff.
PawPaw_n_Gram
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
The first thing I recommend for anyone considering long term RVing is to sit down with your current primary care physician and see if she/he think you have any issues that might be a problem.

As for access to doctors and facilities - a lot of people live most of their lives far from the level of care available in a major city. I grew up in Arkansas where even today if it is something really serious, people go to Little Rock. Often a 3 hour or more drive. My BIL has had to make such a trip several times.

Most of us do like to have a primary doctor somewhere that we visit once or twice each year. In the major snowbird areas, there are many excellent doctors who are used to working with long distance travelers.

We are mandated to use a mail order pharmacy for our regular medications by our insurance. However, we use Walmart pharmacies for anything new or short term. They are not the fastest, cheapest or easiest to get to sometimes, but there is one almost everywhere in the US.
AnneM
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
mockturtle wrote:
Transport to a 'good hospital' is available from just about anywhere in the US including Alaska.

Well, Alaska isn't too bad really. The Alaska Highway was more scary (no cell reception and huge distances). The US has fantastic infrastructure - one of many reasons why it's our favorite travel destination - but with some places it would take hours even for paramedics to get to you. I love the distances and the emptiness of these areas but yeah, a bit worried too.

But yeah, I agree it's better to be out there and live life to the fullest - taking the risks is better than sitting at home out of fear. That would be a bit like dying while you're still alive. I'm all for going out there - just trying to mitigate some risks by getting good advice from the wonderful people in this community.
AnneM
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
Grit dog wrote:
Well, I would say it depends first on your overall health. After that, if you're both healthy then it comes down to convincing yourself mentally that "you can do it."
Me n my wife, we're 45y/o and as I type this on our 23rd anniversary today, my wife has had uhhhh 10? At least heart surgeries or procedures including a couple open hearts, a thorocotomy, half dozen heart caths and some other surgeries like a pericardial window.
Suffice it to say, if she wants to live, she can't be out of range of her cardiac team.
However she's totally healthy right now (comparatively speaking) and would go anywhere we wanted to head.
2 years ago, 2 months after most of a year in the hospital, we packed up the kids and camper and took off for a month. If SHTF in BFE somewhere, her opinion was better then sitting at home worrying about it.
IMO if you DO have serious health issues, it's more time to go live life and not sit at home if you're able.
Heck, even if full timing, we could drive back to Seattle and park the RV there.
Guess it depends on how you want to live life.
Me, I'd take off across the tundra with a backpack and a rifle tomorrow. If I get eaten by a grizz or die of a heart attack or fall off a cliff.....whatever. I was living life while I was around.
BTW, we'll be pulling the boat out for the first time tomorrow and $20 says my wife is drinkin ciders and probably take a rip on the wakeboard or surfboard.
After going through this with her...I/we learned time is precious. Go do what you want to while you can and don't worry about the little stuff.

Thank you for sharing that! That's very inspirational - best health wishes to your wife.:)
jdealcpa
Explorer
Jun 16, 2018
DW & I are 75. We are healthy. We have decent health insurance. We are away from our primary residence 9-10 months a year. We have been living this schedule for about 12 years. We have needed health care while away from home, both in US & Canada. We start with Urgent care clinics or emergency rooms and if necessary go from there. Never have we lacked for excellent care and follow up. We plan to live this lifestyle for several more years and are confident in obtaining good health care wherever we are.
Tiger4x4RV
Nomad
Jun 16, 2018
For emergencies when you are in the land of no-cell-signal, get a satellite messenger system such as InReach or Spot. Push the SOS button in a life-or-death situation and help comes. Both are small devices with relatively inexpensive subscriber services.

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