Sept-Nov-December issue - Travel with Aging Parents

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VO L . 1 2 • N O . 4 | FALL 2015
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» Fall /Arts & Entertainment Issue
MAGAZINE
LESLEY-ANNE
DOWN
THE HAYES
BROTHERS
DAVID
CHOKACHI
LISA HILTON
MALIBU'S
NEXT GENERATION
Grace Van Dien, Delilah Hamlin, Milo Gibson,
India Oxenberg and Ben Hogestyn
‘Planes, Canes,
and Automobiles’
Val Grubb and 82-year-old mom, Dorothy, see the world.
Val and Dorothy
Grubb in Malaysia
Preparing for a
helicopter ride in
Juneau, Alaska
S
BY BRIDGET GRAHAM
he’s recently been to Thailand, France, Australia, China
and Cambodia—just to name a few countries. Oh, and
she’s 82. For Dorothy Grubb, whether it’s a needed
wheelchair or time for a round of meds, she and her daughter
Val find a way to maneuver around and see the sights.
Val and Dorothy have been traveling together for years.
“We’ve traveled for 20 years and 300,000-plus miles. About
four years ago, Mom’s physical and mental capabilities
changed,” Val explained. “I needed to adapt for us to be able to
continue traveling together.”
W
e don’t like to admit it, but our parents get older. And
rather than let that stop Dorothy’s love of travel, they
found a way to continue their favorite shared pastime.
“No one wants to think of our parents aging and becoming dependent,” Val said. “There was definitely a learning curve to letting
go of my past expectations and adapting to the new normal. And, I
would add frustration to the list of new feelings as well.”
So Val had to figure out a lot of it on her own. She had done
At the airport ready
for their
next trip
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VAL GRUBB
Val Grubb’s book
will be released
in October
the research and—not finding a lot on traveling with an older
person—started to document for others what she found successful (or unsuccessful). She started a blog (Traveling with
Aging Parents) and has now compiled her ideas into a new
book, “Planes, Canes, and Automobiles: Connecting with Your
Aging Parents Through Travel.”
With her knowledge, Val helps others navigate terrain with
a wheelchair (“cobblestones are tough, cracked sidewalks,
older hotels, etc.”) and how to keep a parent on track with
medicines. (“Mom is on a 14-pill-a-day regimen and she cannot
remember her schedule once we’re on the road.”) There is also
packing, scheduling the wheelchairs and, of course, reminders
for getting along.
According to a recent AARP study, approximately 44 percent of 45- to 55-year-olds have at least one parent living with
them (often alongside their own children). Today, including
elderly parents in vacation plans is often an essential part of
vacation planning.
“We take it one year at a time, one trip at a time,” Val said.
“We travel a lot with my brother who has twin three-year-old
girls, so there is a lot to consider when determining a location—
as we have an 80-year span of activities to plan!”
V
al noted the book is really about the love of travel, the love of
a parent and combining the two for fulfilling time together.
“I’ve found out things about Mom through our travels and
time together that I never would have known even through our
daily phone calls,” Val said.
With all the tips, funny stories and anecdotes in the book,
MTM asked Val for the biggest message conveyed in her book.
“There are two messages,” she said. “Your parent won’t be
around forever—don’t miss this opportunity. And YOU CAN DO
THIS—you can travel with an aging parent and see the world,
even if they have health issues, and still have a great time.
“And yes, I’m yelling when I say, ‘YOU CAN DO THIS!’” n
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