The wisecracks have already begun, "You mean I can ask my doctor to prescribe me a vacation?"
Sure, why not?
Dr Scott Rains will speak at Neurology in the Third Millennium: From Disability to Social Reinsertion held by the Carlo Besta Neurology Institute in Milan. His presentation Inclusive Tourism – Participant/Observer Notes on the Global Paradigm Shift Toward Solutions on April 17 will be followed by his participation in the Round Table on Policy and Travelers' Experience on April 18.
From the press release:
The continued increase in longevity and greater chronicization of many illnesses in the third millennium is being accompanied by increasing numbers of disabled persons. Disability as a result of neurological illness forms a distinct and substantial part of disability that is characterized by high social costs and heavy impact on quality of life.
Although considerable improvements in medicine and surgery – including the development of technologically advanced treatments, will occur, they are expected to have a limited impact on global indicators of disability in the near future. Conversely, rehabilitation interventions are expected to make a much more substantial contribution to alleviating disability in the coming years. But in order to have a maximal effect on quality of life, rehabilitation must go beyond traditional interventions and expand into leisure-time activities. And in this context accessible tourism can make an important contribution.
This congress starts from socio-economic and health considerations to explore the vast perspectives and possibilities now opening up in the area of leisure time rehabilitation for those disabled as a result of neurological disease.
Also attending from the USA are Dr Shu Cole author of ongoing research on the impact of travel on the quality of life of those with mobility impairments and Ms Sherri Backstrom Director of Waypoint Yacht Charter Services and expert on accessible boating.
Following the congress Backstrom and Rains will inspect accessible venues and activities starting with the wheelchair accessible sailboat lo Spritio di Stella ((web site in Italian).
A travelogue covering the conference and destination discovery tour will be posted in the Travelogue section of RollingRains.com - http://www.rollingrains.com/travelogues/
