Managing tube feeding on holiday

Most of us look forward to going on holiday or travelling to another country at this time of year. While it’s generally exciting, for someone who is tube fed* it can also be daunting and it takes some organisation. The good news is that services provided by medical nutrition companies support these patients, allowing them to live their life to the fullest as possible, at home or away.

Take Julie for example, mum to 16-year-old Cole who is tube fed. He has a chromosomal condition which means he needs to use a wheelchair and doesn’t talk. He also loves his iPad and Thomas the Tank engine. It’s not just packing his suitcase Julie needs to think about; she also needs to organise boxes of feed and medical supplies as well as all the paperwork and documents they’ll need. Julie uses the holiday delivery service offered by the company that supplies Cole’s feed and equipment to get the feeding supplies delivered to their holiday destination. This service is free of charge and it gives patients and carers the flexibility to enjoy their holidays without their condition restricting them, so they can keep doing the things in life they love, like that trip to Disney World.

The process is designed to be as simple as possible and patients and carers are supported throughout. The patient or carer decides they want to go on holiday and tell the holiday delivery team 6-8 weeks before they go. Once the holiday destination is known, the holiday delivery team will advise of any customs restrictions and help with pulling together the necessary paperwork. Once the items have arrived, the team contacts the patient to confirm that everything has arrived safely at their destination.

​The process is designed to be as simple as possible and patients and carers are supported throughout

Holidays are a time to get away from it all, build memories, make new friends and try out new experiences. And that’s exactly what these companies help patients and their carers to do, regardless of their illness.

For more information on what it’s like to be tube fed, visit:

• PINNT (Patients on Intravenous and Nasogastric Nutrition Treatment) www.pinnt.com
• BAPEN (British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) www.bapen.org.uk

*People who are tube fed are unable to nourish their bodies with normal food and drink and instead have to rely on liquid nutrients being pumped into their body through a tube.