Travels with Mom: The A-B-C's of Traveling with a Senior Companion, 2nd Edition

By Julie Aiken

My mother sometimes believes that in a former life she was Native American; the Four Corners area of the United States has resonated with her since her first trip "Out West" when she was 19 years old. So in 2002 she took me to the "American West".

Mom and I have traveled other places, but the west is our go-to trip (we’re planning one now), and traveling by car is our favorite method. Most of the examples in this guide will be of attractions in the western United States and will refer specifically to car travel, although I’ll touch on flying, as well.

Rather than try to be a detailed travel guide to specific locations, the book focuses on the issues inherent in traveling with a senior citizen.

Please Note: Age is not a disability! You are, in fact, as young as you feel. But as we age we all experience changes in our bodies, minds and spirits. Over the 12 years Mom and I have been traveling both of us have had changing abilities, and it is the less-than-optimal abilities I will primarily address here.
Though my experiences have for the most part been limited to the western United States, the advice is universal.

Traveling with a parent or other senior companion is more than worth any inconveniences or difficulties presented. I hope this book can help you navigate the challenges and that it motivates you to hit the road!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julie Aiken
• Release date: Mar 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310969706

Julie Aiken

Julie Aiken, author of the day-book "Coping with Depression: A Tip-a-Day for 2021," has a passion for understanding and defeating depression.At 59, Ms. Aiken has suffered from depression for 40 years -- more years than she's been depression-free. Focusing her passions for self-exploration and understanding her own psychology, she has compiled a list of anti-depression tips for each day of 2021.In the age of COVID-19's loss and isolation, learning coping skills is more vital than ever. Ms. Aiken fervently hopes some of these tips can help you live a more peaceful and joyful life. The book has a companion website, http://mydepressionstrategy.blogspot.com/, and facebook page, @mydepressionstrategy, both of which are updated every few days with tons of supplemental material.Check out her other book, Travels with Mom, The A-B-C's of Traveling with a Senior Companion, available on Smashwords!Currently based in Pennsylvania, Julie has lived in New York City and Los Angeles, and has held a variety of jobs in arts and entertainment. From Writers Assistant on a CBS Saturday morning show to Managing Director of a nonprofit community theatre, her creative and management experience is vast, and writing has always been her special passion.

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Introduction

My mother sometimes believes that in a former life she was Native American, probably Navajo, perhaps Hopi. The Four Corners area of the United States has resonated with her since her first trip Out West when she was 19 years old. It feels like home, and she often yearns to be there. She has always wished one of her five children would fall in love with it, as well. So in 2002 she took me to the American West.

Mom and I have traveled other places, but the west is our go-to trip (we’re planning one now), and traveling by car is our favorite method. Most of the examples in this guide will be of attractions in the western United States and will refer specifically to car travel, although I will touch on flying.

Rather than try to be a detailed travel guide to specific locations, I’ve focused on the issues inherent in traveling with a senior citizen, but many of the places we’ve visited will be discussed in depth on the book’s companion website. In the narrative, I’ll refer to many locations, and I will link to their websites in the links section at the end.

Please Note: Age is not a disability! You are, in fact, as young as you feel. But as we age, we all experience changes to some degree in our bodies, minds and spirits. Over the 12 years Mom and I have been traveling, both of us have faced changing abilities.

Traveling with a parent or other senior companion is more than worth any inconvenience. I hope this book can help you navigate the challenges and that it motivates you to go!

(Go Back to Table of Contents)

Accessibility

The ease with which people of varying physical and mental abilities can enjoy traveling is subjective.

Take, for example, my family’s experience at Garden of the Gods, over five acres of stunning rock formations with about 15 miles of viewing trails. Located in Colorado Springs, this park offers a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with these outcroppings, ubiquitous in the southwest yet rarely available for close encounters.

But the park is far from level. The website clearly states there is an accessible trail:

Start at the main parking lot for the Perkins Central Garden Trail. This is an easy, 1 1/2 mile roundtrip over a concrete foot path, with less than a 30 foot rise. Wheelchair and stroller accessible, this loop is in the heart of the Park at the base of the highest rock formations.

The kind woman at the visitors' center assured us the trail would be no problem at all with a wheelchair.

Both she and the website lied. Less than a 30 foot rise sounds doable, until you consider that it's about the height of a two-story house. Angle of steepness would be a more useful descriptor, and this path is steep. My sister, a mail carrier in good physical shape, was along on that trip. Together we found pushing the wheelchair (with Mom in it) up this path extremely difficult.

Down wasn’t much better, as we had to keep the wheelchair from getting away from us. We passed another family with a wheelchair and together we laughed about the blithe assurances given to us at the information desk. A sense of humor was the only thing that made this strenuous adventure bearable. And of course the park is truly gorgeous.

Accessibility includes many factors that affect whether you can enjoy an attraction to the fullest with few physical difficulties. Altitude or elevation affects breathing, and thus stamina. Terrain and unpaved paths will affect mobility and balance. Whether a facility has an elevator is crucial for people with mobility issues. Is there someplace to get out of the elements?

Flexibility is the key when accessibility is an issue. On another trip Mom and I were looking forward to visiting Lake Louise, in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, as it has a reputation for extraordinary beauty. It is gorgeous, which I can attest to as I was able to see it. However it is completely inaccessible if you have mobility issues unless you have a wheelchair or scooter, which we did not have on that trip. So Mom sat in the car in the parking lot.

Fortunately we saw a sign for Emerald Lake, just about 23 miles away from Lake Louise and in nearby Yoho National Park, so I decided to give that a try. It turns out Emerald Lake is just as gorgeous and totally accessible! Thank goodness we were flexible and had a spirit of adventure, or Mom would have missed this stunning