Holidays can provide a welcome break but they may need careful planning to make
a holiday successful. There are many organisations which provide holidays and holiday
accommodation for people and families with special needs.
Some are detailed here. The Encephalitis Society provides this information in good
faith but it up to the individual to ensure that the holiday suits their particular
needs.
Some local authorities may provide grants towards holiday costs, others may offer
holidays at places of their own choice. Some local authorities insist on means-testing
and, even when grants are available, they are usually small.
Respite and Supported Holiday Centre, Clynfyw, Pembrokeshire
Based on a quiet 200 acre family-run organic farm and woodland, a holiday at Clynfyw
allows you to relax in a quiet, beautiful environment with stunning views of the
Pembrokeshire countryside.
There are four cottages at Clynfyw each of which has their own distinctive character.
Three are on a single floor, have profiling beds, hoists and shower chairs etc.
available, and flexible care packages can be arranged upon request—providing all
you need to enjoy a wonderful holiday!
For more information telephone 01239 841236 or look at their website
Cornfield Bed & Breakfast
Bed& Breakfast business set up by one of our members at Langham in North Norfolk
provides a peaceful location for someone who is perhaps hesitant about going away.
The area is quite and the owners are sympathetic to the needs of a person who has
recovered from encephalitis.
If you wish to visit this area and find these facilities useful, please use the
contact details below,
Anne Phillips
Tel: 01328830939
Email: Cornfield Bed and Breakfast
Website:Cornfield Bed and Breakfast
Heads up Holidays
Is the first holiday company of its kind in the world offering brain injured people
and their families' holidays the freedom to travel internationally, supported by
a team of expert carers and staff individually matched to meet the clients personality
and needs.
What makes their holidays different are:
- Personally assisted by trained carers in the holiday country
- All elements of the holiday are risk assessed
- Clinically supported
- Individually created itineraries with a full range of activities
They take care of every aspects; from booking, airport transfers, the actual travel
and accommodation, providing local support workers and daily activities.
The cost of the holiday and the costs of care vary from country to country but only
the care that is needed on a day to day level is paid for. You pay for as much or
as little care as you need or want depending on the activities you chose to do and
the support you would like. You can also opt to increase the amount of time your
holiday support worker spends with you. All staff are English speaking, health and
safety trained, have been referenced and police checked and carry first aid certificates.
Most are ex-pats with medical backgrounds and have been chosen for their friendly,
responsible and adaptable personalities.
www.headsupholdays.com
or phone 0115 958 2235
Over The Wall
We are a national Charity making it possible for the UK's most seriously ill children
to enjoy fun, friendship & fulfilment at our residential camps.
Each year Over The Wall welcomes children affected by serious illnesses to our unique
residential camps. At Over The Wall camps we help children overcome the isolation
they feel during the rest of the year and have fun & forge friendships with
other seriously ill children "just like them". These campers range in
age from 8 to 16. These weeklong sessions also provide a much needed break for parents
knowing that our camps are staffed by highly trained volunteers and a dedicated
medical team. Over The Wall also ensures that the siblings are not forgotten and
runs Spring and Autumn camps and events for them. If your child would benefit from
a week at Over The Wall, then contact our Camper Recruitment Manager Louise Hebron
on 01420 82086 or email louise@otw.org.uk
www.otw.org.uk
Therapeutic Holidays Centre
Therapeutic Holiday Centre is a charity offering holidays for people affected by
brain conditions in Crete, Greece. Their clients are small groups of children or
adults with learning difficulties, autism, etc coming from all over EU. Some of
the activities we offer -besides accommodation is:
- therapeutic riding
- ergotherapy (occupational therapy)
- trekking
- swimming
For more information visit their website www.therapeutic-holidays.org.gr
Insurance on the move
This article was first printed in Headway News www.headway.org.uk
Despite the fact they are breaking the law, many of the UKs leading insurance companies
still discriminate against people with acquired brain injuries when it comes to
providing travel insurance. Andrew Morton looks at the issues.
Since 1995, the Disability Discrimination Act has made it unlawful to refuse travel
insurance, or charge higher premiums, because of a disability. However discrimination
still occurs, as many insurers ask a single blanket question about whether a person
experiences (or has experienced) problems and decides that anyone answering 'yes'
poses too high a risk to insure. Consequently many people with any form of brain
injury are unable to obtain travel insurance-or are forced to pay premiums that
are unacceptably high.
A travel insurer cannot refuse a travel policy to a disabled person, however, claims
arising out of the disability may be excluded if the insurer can justify that the
condition represents an increased risk. This means that if a person has a pre-existing
condition such as schizophrenia, and experiences symptoms whilst on holiday, the
insurer may refuse cover for treatment of this particular condition. If the claim
is not connected to the disability it should be paid as normal.
The majority of holidays are sold with standard insurance policies (which almost
always exclude pre-existing conditions). These policies are more or less useless
(and may also be unlawful) for claims connected to an existing brain injury whilst
on holiday. However individuals with an acquired brain injury are free to make their
own, more comprehensive insurance arrangements thus ensuring full cover, yet this
point is not always made clear by travel agents when the holiday is booked.
When deciding about whether to insure someone, a risk assessment should always be
carried out by the insurer and should include a statistical analysis that a person
presents "a higher than average risk" (since an individual could sue an
insurance company under the Disability Discrimination Act if they were unfairly
declined insurance). If you are applying for insurance and this happens to you (or
you believe that your insurer has treated you unjustly), you could have a case.
Andrew Morton specialises in travel related claims for Pannone and Partners. Telephone:
0161 909 3000
Email: andrew.morton@pannone.co.uk
Holiday with care in Lancashire countryside
Much too often are the many beautiful places to stay and visit in the UK forgotten,
not explored or visited.
Mosaic Leisure has put together a new holiday package which will give you an opportunity
to stay in the beautiful countryside of Lancashire, visit the many nearby tourist
attractions and enjoy the pleasure and comfort of outstanding attractive accommodation.
Mosaic Leisure invites those individuals with a learning difficulty, physical disability,
autism and dementia to participate and enjoy our UK holiday package. Each individual
will receive full care and support whilst holidaying by our team of qualified, experienced
and skilled carers.
Further Information
Last modified: March 2009