Every family wants to make the most of the time they have together. As parents and grandparents grow older, many families are finding ways to include them in vacations instead of leaving them behind. While traveling with an aging loved one can seem overwhelming, thoughtful planning and the right support can make it possible. In this interview with The Burg, Katy Packingham, Agency Director of Caring Senior Service of Galesburg, shares tips for planning accessible trips, traveling with a caregiver, and creating meaningful memories together.
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Agency Director of Caring Senior Service of Galesburg, Katy Packingham has noticed a change in how families are traveling. When possible, families are choosing to take their aging loved ones with them on vacation.
“I feel like it’s because people in today’s sandwich generation (those who have children and aging parents) are aware of mortality. Mortality is not silent anymore. You’re taking care of your kids and you’re watching your parents age. You realize that they are not always going to be around, so you want to include them in those moments as well,” explained Packingham.
When caregivers approach Packingham about traveling with their aging loved one, she “looks up where they’re wanting to go to make sure it’s handicap accessible or is fenced in for an individual who is a wander risk. We also see if they’re wanting to bring a caregiver with them. Usually they want to bring a caregiver to help with medications and allow them to have a break on the trip as well.”
Reasons a client may not be able to travel include “if they are combative or refuse to do daily living tasks (bathing, taking medication, etc.). For these clients we will set up respite here with us or a referral partner in the most cost efficient and safe option. We even offer video call check in at any time for the caregiver.”
If you are wanting to travel with an aging loved one, a common misconception that Packingham would like to debunk is “that you can’t go. That it will be too much. A travel wheelchair is not that expensive. You can find them for $200 on Amazon. Getting your loved one to use a wheelchair isn’t hard especially if they already use a wheelchair or a walker at home. The world is becoming more handicap accessible. There are ramps. Travel wheelchairs can fit in a trunk or in a storage container on top of a van.”
Some vacations Caring Senior Service of Galesburg has helped clients enjoy include “a trip to Branson for four days. A female caregiver went with a couple to help provide care while they went and saw shows. Another client enjoys fishing, so we have a caregiver drive him in the van and take him fishing. When they want family time the caregiver can leave them and come back.
We’ve also had several caregivers go on vacations with adult children and their aging parent. They provide catheter care, help with stops to walk and stretch legs, aid with Depends, administering medications, and getting out the travel wheelchair. This allows the children to spend time with their aging parent and have the ability to enjoy it without having to provide care. Caregivers have traveled as far as 17 hours away. It all depends. Everything is negotiable.”
“That is all possible because Caring Senior Service of Galesburg matches the caregiver to the client, so they have similar interests. They’re friends doing things they enjoy together while also providing care. We have the same number of caregivers as clients. It takes a special type of person to be a caregiver. They become like family.”
Most importantly, Packingham wants caregivers to know: “You only live once. Make the trip with them if they can. If they can’t, arrange for care for them here and go. If you feel like they won’t make it by the time you get back, that’s a different conversation. If you plan ahead with a caregiver a month prior so they know them and are used to them, they’ll be okay. When there is a will, there is a way. We’re just here to make it easier.”