Will You Choose Destinations Based on Medical Facilities?

[c-boy]

 Yes,   Being as I've got plans for the next twenty years.

[ldubs]

15 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I am not going to base travel decisions on the availability of medical facilities.

 

DON

 

I agree.  Even with the pandemic, I don't think I would make this a criteria.  I would think most don't even give this a conscious thought -- I know I didn't before the pandemic. The big exception of course are those with known med issues that might require quick access to med attention. 

[clo]

I suspect if I had medical issues that would make me want good medical facilities accessible then I would never cruise again. Specific land travel.

[cruisemom42]

At this point in life I don't really have specific medical concerns. 

 

However, given some of the stories I read on Cruise Critic a year ago about world cruisers who were too sick or too feeble to fly home when their cruises ended in far parts -- well, if I were at that age and/or level of medical frailty, and I was thinking about a lengthy far-flung cruise, I might well consider it. 

 

Also, a bit different, but I have plans post-retirement to spend a significant amount of time per year in other locales (let's say 3 months in Italy per annum, as a starter...). So yes, I would think about medical care in Italy and would want to have a pretty good handle on how it works and what I can expect as an expat.

 

[ldubs]

On 3/7/2021 at 7:57 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

Also, a bit different, but I have plans post-retirement to spend a significant amount of time per year in other locales (let's say 3 months in Italy per annum, as a starter...). So yes, I would think about medical care in Italy and would want to have a pretty good handle on how it works and what I can expect as an expat.

 

 

Curious - -  have you thought of, and/or would you enjoy, sharing your love of travel by being a tour guide in Italy?   Not why I ask, but I read that expats employed there are eligible for the health care system.  

 

I retired about 9 years ago.  Mrs Ldubs took an early retirement at the beginning of 2020 so we could spend more time traveling.   For the obvious reason, that  hasn't turned out so well yet.  🙂

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, ldubs said:

Curious - -  have you thought of, and/or would you enjoy, sharing your love of travel by being a tour guide in Italy?   Not why I ask, but I read that expats employed there are eligible for the health care system.

 

No, I don't have the temperament for it, for starters. You have to be very patient. I'm also not good at chivvying people along, keeping others on schedule, and repeating info. My mother was a teacher (primary grades) and then did some tour guiding after retirement. She had the right requirements, but watching her up close and behind the scenes, I know I do not!

 

I also know Italy has a very regulated industry for guides. It is very difficult for outsiders to earn the official license/badge required. Unless things have changed since I read up on it a few years ago, there are a series of quite rigorous exams and I believe you have to take them in Italian. There are quite a few "unofficial" guides of course, but I would imagine they are not eligible for the health care.