An Rx for RV Living

More than a million people have pulled up roots and hit the road full time in recreational vehicles (RVs), according to surveys from the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. If you're thinking of joining them, be sure to consider your health.

Palmer Evans, M.D., a hospital executive in Tucson, Ariz., knows the issues well. He and his wife are avid RVers who someday hope to travel full time. His wife has lupus and must manage her disease daily. On a 12-day trip to Santa Fe, she needed to refill a prescription on a Sunday. They spent the day in a panicked search for an open pharmacy.

"Deciding to go on the road full time is a big decision. There are many areas you need to examine and plan for before you go," Dr. Evans says. "One of them is your health."

Medical needs

"It is essential that before you go you secure a relationship with a primary care physician at home base who you can call while on the road," adds Dr. Evans. "If needed, this physician can fax prescriptions to a pharmacy or answer a question for you."

Dr. Evans also advises seeing this physician for routine exams, screenings, and immunizations. "You can't just wander around the countryside without a physician at home base. There is basic medical care you should receive at least once a year," he adds. He offers these tips for full-time RVers:

• Find portable health insurance. Your policy should allow for treatment by health providers throughout the country. The wider your coverage, the easier it will be for you to receive medical care.

• Carry copies of your medical records. "If you are admitted to an emergency room, your doctors will be better able to help you if they can read your medical records," says Dr. Evans.

• Have your prescriptions filled at a pharmacy with nationwide locations. These pharmacies can refill your medicine by checking their computer system or calling the location at your home base.

• Wear medical-alert jewelry to tell of important medical conditions such as diabetes, medication allergies, or treatment with drugs like blood thinners.

• Carry power-of-attorney and living will documents.

• Stock your RV with over-the-counter drugs you prefer, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or laxatives.

• Pack a first-aid kit and special gear that will help in emergencies—for instance, kits for those allergic to bee stings.

• If you have a chronic illness, plan trips that keep you near reputable medical facilities. Learn their locations in advance, says Dr. Evans.

• Ask your doctor about routine examinations. Are you up to date on eye, ear, and physical exams?

Nutrition and exercise

If you leave home, take a healthy lifestyle with you. As a full-time RVer, you can stick to a healthy diet and proper exercise.

"It's easy to become complacent in an RV, but there are ways to eat well and exercise on the road," Dr. Evans says. He offers these tips for fulltime RVers who want to stay healthy through nutrition and exercise:

• Plan ahead for exercise. Bring small weights or a jump rope for light exercise, and pack proper clothing and shoes.

• Cook in your RV. "Buy and prepare healthy foods in your RV kitchen just as you would in a kitchen in a house," Dr. Evans says.

• Join campsite activities like line dancing or tai chi. These are a great way to meet people and stay fit.

• Avoid eating at campsite potluck dinners. If you want to go for the social benefits, eat beforehand and take a vegetable dish to snack on.

• Walk. Many RVers follow the sun in their RVs, which means the weather is always right for a walk. But don't forget sunscreen, a hat, and water.

Mental health

Are you concerned that the RV life may lead to loneliness? David Counts, Ph.D., sees no need to worry.

Dr. Counts, an anthropologist in Ontario, spent 15 months traveling in an RV so he and his wife could research a book, Over the Next Hill: RVing Seniors in North America.

"Many RVers say they have more of a social circle on the road than they did after living in the suburbs for 25 years," Dr. Counts says. "Many people were on the road because they wanted to leave a lifestyle they felt was hurting their health. They found life on the road was not stressful.

"They would drive for a few hours, and then stay in the new location for two or three days. They would park, open their awning, and set out chairs—their version of a front porch," he says. "People told us they found a sense of community that was ideal. The relationships lasted and were intense."

Safety behind the wheel

Some road safety tips from Dr. Evans:

• Travel during the day.

• Limit time on the road.

• Don't drive if you're tired.

• Have a periodic eye exam.

• Follow your vehicle's safety guidelines.

• Obey all traffic laws.

• Carry a cell phone.

• Avoid back roads.

• Be smart. Don't take chances.

Rest stop

Escapees RV Club, a support and information organization for fulltime RVers, offers members assisted living and adult day-care services for people who no longer can stay on the road full time because of illness, injury, surgery, or progression of a chronic illness. At the CARE Center (Continuing Assistance for Retired Escapees) in Livingston, Texas, members can live in their RVs while receiving a daily hot lunch, laundry, and cleaning services, security checks, and other personal services. The average cost for members is less than $600 a month.