Just because you’re on oxygen doesn’t mean you can’t have a summer filled with travel and outdoor fun.
Registered Respiratory Therapist Jaime Williams says portable oxygen concentrators are helping more Atlantic Canadians “live life to the fullest.”
“Whether you’re on oxygen or not, you still benefit from exercise, being outdoors and getting plenty of fresh air. It helps all of us feel better,” says Williams, who is the regional director of Respiratory Therapy Specialists (RTS) Inc.
“Summer is so beautiful in Atlantic Canada, and we wait a long time to get to this nice weather. We should all be outside enjoying it.”
Williams says this is the time of year when people on oxygen want to get out and travel, but sometimes they’re not sure of their options or limitations — especially when it comes to air travel.
“Sometimes people panic and think ‘How can I go on a plane with oxygen?’ but it’s no problem. All major airlines now accept portable oxygen concentrators that are approved for air travel,” says Williams. “These are small, battery-powered units, so you can take along extra batteries if it’s a long-haul flight.”
Sometimes the airline may require you use their own system, but the team at RTS will be able to tell you based on your itinerary and airline. Williams says RTS rents a lot of portable oxygen concentrators during the summer months so people can travel more easily.
If you want to hop in the car for a summer road trip, Williams says these portable oxygen concentrators are perfect for even multi-day car trips.
“You can plug them into the AC adapter in your vehicle so you don’t have to worry about the battery running out,” says Williams. “It can be charging the whole time you’re in the vehicle, so it’s fully-charged when you arrive at a destination to eat, shop or explore.”
He says being on oxygen doesn’t mean you’re stuck sitting on a bench while the rest of your traveling companions go sightseeing. Portable oxygen concentrators are designed to be extremely lightweight so you can tote them along comfortably and see the sights.
“Traditional concentrators were somewhere between 10 lbs. and 20 lbs. but the small, portable ones are less than 5 lbs.,” says Williams. “They design them to be as light as possible while still having a good capacity to deliver oxygen.”
If you want to have a full-sized base system waiting for you at your destination, that’s no problem. RTS is part of a large network with connections all over North America, so Williams says they help their customers make arrangements for traveling with oxygen.
“We have offices across Canada — as well as connections all over Canada and in the U.S. — so we can help facilitate oxygen base system rentals when our customers arrive at their destination, whether it’s a hotel or a relative’s house,” says Williams.
Respiratory Therapy Specialists Inc. (RTS) has been providing home oxygen and sleep apnea services to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador for more than 25 years.
What started in the basement of a St. John’s home back in 1992 has grown to four locations across Newfoundland — St. John’s, Spaniards Bay, Gander and Corner Brook — as well as three locations in Nova Scotia — Halifax/Dartmouth, New Glasgow and New Minas, with a new branch coming soon to Truro.
So whether you’re planning a road trip to see an old friend, a cross-country vacation to see family or a jaunt down to the U.S. for a bit of shopping, Williams says you shouldn’t feel limited just because you’re on oxygen.
“If you’re feeling well enough to travel and your doctor supports that decision, you should absolutely get out and explore,” says Williams. “The weather’s nice and people want to be out and about — and they should feel comfortable doing that.”
