DIVING OVER 50 YEARS OLD

[tkaelin]

Based upon your description of where you are and facilities etc why an arbitrary 50 or above? Why not everyone or based on criteria other than simply an age? Unless you had something to offer that others do not I would quickly look elsewhere if I encountered such a policy.

 

[clarkey]

Based upon your description of where you are and facilities etc why an arbitrary 50 or above? Why not everyone or based on criteria other than simply an age? Unless you had something to offer that others do not I would quickly look elsewhere if I encountered such a policy.

Its a good question, and part of the reason I started this thread...... the local doctors suggested 50. Also when taking email reservations its easier to have a criteria based on age than it is on other factors which are less easy to define. Any policy will have grey areas

 

[redacted]

I am not sure how you think a customer's insurance is going to benefit you.

Many older divers have both the time and the money to peruse this activity frequently. I'm sure they will find some other op to take their money.

 

[scagrotto]

we are going to introduce a policy

that should help reduce your workload.

Any policy will have grey areas

Unless it's a uniform policy of requiring that divers present proof of certification, and anything else that's required by the agency your instructors work with, and leaving it to the certified divers to decide whether or not they're competent to dive.

If you want to be the police you should probably have pursued a different career path.

 

[wgw04024]

Someone should send this link to someone at DAN for a response.

 

[BRT]

Thanks for the replies guys. I share your thoughts also, which is why I want to approach this matter sensitively, whilst at the same time making sure that customers are not taking undue risks. We are located in Little Corn Island, Nicaragua which has nothing more than a basis clinic with a part time nurse. The nearest island which is 8 miles away has a basic hospital, but for any proper medical facilities you need to travel to the nearest mainland port which means a 50 mile boat crossing (boats go twice a week) or a small plane. The best hospitals are in the capital, Managua which is an hour plane ride from our neighbouring island. The nearest chamber is 6-8 hours by boat, but there is no boat service to get there so it means renting a boat at a cost of around $1500, in cash (we have no bank or ATM here either!!)
We're not the only location with such challenges, and we have a number of divers over 50 who are just fine, as most of you are also I'm sure. The customer who had problems yesterday was not overweight, does not smoke, but as it turns out was feeling sick and had not drunk any water, both of which he failed to tell us. It is this kind of customer I want to protect, those that are not experienced and don't necessarily know what they are letting themselves in for.
When I have seen potential divers who are clearly in high risk categories then I have always exercised caution, and will continue to do so.
I guess the feedback here is that asking for a medical would be over the top, although to be honest if we lost a few customers to save a life then that's fine by me. It may be more appropriate though to just ask for proof of insurance for over 50s. I will continue to look at options, but thanks for your honest opinions!

Would this customer who was not overweight and not a smoker have been able to pass a doctors exam back home? If so what would you gain with your policy?

 

[agilis]

I've seen people 49 years old who seem in worse physical condition than people 50 years old. Not a great many, but then the sample is small. Arbitrary categories are always problematic, don't you agree?

When I was in my twenties I'm sure your concerns would have seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

But then (through no fault of my own) I got older and older. I remember being on a small open dive boat in Negril with a young couple in their early twenties. By then I had somehow passed my fortieth birthday. "I think it's sweet that you still go diving" the young woman said. I was stunned for a moment, but smiled in reply.

Later, after her nearly OOA husband had clambered into the boat, I had the pleasure of pushing her ass up and over the ladderless gunwale, a task she was not able to manage on her own.

Despite being in good physical condition I experience all sorts of issues with dive operators now that I am well into my 70s. The result is that I tend to return to the same dive operations and rent vehicles from the same agencies simply because encountering some blockhead while on holiday is not worth the trouble.

On Dominica a couple of years ago the manager of the car rental agency had died, and his successor did not know me. He tried to convince me to rent a vehicle with an automatic transmission. When I refused, he had me drive him around the parking lot to check me out. He said it was not so much my age as the fact that i was an American. He did give me an apology discount, but i found the experience offputting.

I feel a strong sense of apprehension before every dive trip I take these days, knowing the DOB on my C card will raise eyebrows.

 

[underH2Oman]

I applaud you for thinking about the health and welfare of your guests. While I am also over 50 and have been diving for 30 years requiring me to submit a medical to you would not make your location high on my list.

What many remote operations do require is that ALL guests have insurance for both medical and evacuation coverage. You just collect that information at the start of their trip and if there is a problem contact the insurance provider and let them cover the costs.

Your gusts must know that you are a remote operation if they are planning to visit. Just re-enforce that and confirm they know and accept the risk.

In regards to Discover Scuba Dives (DSD) most policies that I am aware of (from here in Ontario Canada) will cover certified divers for scuba but will not cover the guest participating as an uncertifed diver and it is an exclusion to the policy.

 

[Scubagolf]

My wife and I have both had dive trip medical issues that required DAN assistance, and we had an excellent, timely response each time. BTW, I have obtained a medical clearance every year since my 55th birthday that I always take with me. It has never been requested, and I am now 65.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Unfortunately yes I have seen divers with DAN insurance (and other providers) who have received no help from them whatsoever in terms of logistics and arrangements (I don't know what success they have had later with reclaiming costs based on cash payments with no receipts).
I have emailed DAN this morning to ask them specifically what coverage they have in place for this region. On the basis of that reply I can then consider recommending their policies.

A refusal from DAN to help with evacuation, leaving their customers to "make their own transport arrangements with local fishermen," sure doesn't jibe with the praise we read in DAN's Alert Diver magazine, where people write about being evacuated with DAN's help from seemingly remote places. I should re-read the evacuation provisions in my policy.

Like others, Little Corn has long been on my radar as a possible destination. Just a few years ago, when I was making plans to dive somewhere like that, I chose Coiba, Panama over Little Corn. Like others, I'm over 50.

I can't speak for anyone but me, but I would hesitate to dive with an operator who required I present a medical clearance. I have had dive operators require me to present proof of dive insurance, and that seems reasonable to me.