» Fall / Arts & Entertainment Issue

MALIBU'SNEXT GENERATION

Grace Van Dien, Delilah Hamlin, Milo Gibson, India Oxenberg and Ben Hogestyn

V O L . 1 2 • N O . 4 | FALL 2015

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LESLEY-ANNE DOWN

THE HAYES BROTHERS

DAVID CHOKACHI

LISA HILTON

C O M M U N I T Y | H O M E | E N T E R T A I N M E N T | D I N I N G | R E C R E A T I O N | H E A L T H

F A L L 2 0 1 5 | 55

She’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.”

We 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 de-

pendent,” 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

the research and—not finding a lot on traveling with an older person—started to document for others what she found suc-cessful (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 per-cent 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!”

Val 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

B Y B R I D G E T G R A H A M

‘Planes, Canes, and Automobiles’

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Val Grubb and 82-year-old mom, Dorothy, see the world.

Val Grubb’s book will be released in October

Val and Dorothy Grubb in Malaysia

At the air-port ready

for their next trip

Preparing for a helicopter ride in

Juneau, Alaska