For Families with Special Needs, Timeshare Vacations Make Sense
Thursday, February 18, 2010
When the Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly, New Jersey redesigned itself to be suitable for travelers with autistic children, it got us thinking about how well timeshare resorts serve many people with unique needs.
As we all know from recent news stories, autism is a problem increasing at an alarming rate. In some areas of the US, the risk is as high as 1 in every 93 births. So it both made tremendous sense and was a great act of compassionate consideration when Tony Morreale, the hotel’s manager, decided to make a few simple changes to make the Clinton Inn Hotel more suitable for guests with autistic children.
The hotel switched furniture with sharp corners for furniture with rounded corners, changed to more décor items that are fixed rather than movable, changed glassware to plastics, affixed flat screen TV’s to the wall, added safety latches to cupboards and drawers, and added a door alarm that tells parents if their child tries to leave the room.
Timeshares and Special Needs Guests
I have yet to hear of timeshare resorts taking these specific actions with autistic children in mind; however, all of these steps are simple and would actually be very beneficial to any parent of small children. Many toddlers are prone to opening doors they shouldn’t and exiting during the night (as are some teens). A door alarm would certainly be helpful and would even give guests a greater sense of security that no one was either entering or exiting.
Everyone who has ever hit their shin on the furniture in the middle of the night would appreciate rounded corners on tables and chests, and let’s face it, many hotels have been affixing décor items in place for years, just as an anti-theft precaution.
If your timeshare resort isn’t already taking these steps, you might want to encourage it, talking about it with the management or your Homeowners Association. After all, timeshares already offer so many benefits to people with special needs, that making these changes would be ideal.
Why Timeshares Make Sense for Families with Special Needs
- Many timeshare units offer kitchens and eat in dining so timeshare vacations are ideal for anyone on a special diet or a family that has to deal with multiple dietary restrictions.
- The spaciousness of timeshares makes it easier to travel with a sitter or nurse for a special needs family member.
- Roomy timeshares also give people with mobility limitations more space for crutches, wheelchairs and other appliances.
- Video games and DVD players in most timeshares can be great entertainment for family members who are not as active and may choose to bypass some vacation activities.
- New US timeshare resorts are fully compliant with accessibility regulations and older resorts must comply within levels of acceptability by the federal guidelines. To make it easier for you to find out what facilities are available at which resorts, Sell My Timeshare NOW maintains a database of Wheelchair Accessible Timeshare Resorts
