Ten Tips for Traveling With a Parent

April 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Kathy is a Baby Boomer who lives every day in a world that many Boomers are either experiencing or contemplating:  caring for their aging parents.  According to Smith and Clurman in their book, Generation Ageless:  “13 million Boomers are caring for their retired, ailing parents.  In fact, …Boomers exhibit a stronger commitment than the prior generation to caring for their aging parents.”

But this reality is not a drudgery.  In fact, Kathy’s article – posted on-line today at this direct link, http://leecuestalive.com/?page_id=123  – is based upon her experiences during a recent cruise with her 78-year-old mother.  Kathy provides important information to remember while traveling with a parent, or parents.  Her article, entitled “Cruising With Your Parent,” focuses on the adult-child’s role, presenting ten invaluable tips that Baby Boomers need to know.

For example, Kathy writes:  “Our first challenge was airport security in Portland, Oregon.  Mom had a hip replacement last year, and we knew it would subject her to a full-body pat-down.  But that early morning, when the alarms went off, she’d forgotten about her hip and began to explain she had nothing in her pockets.

“My role was to step in and remind her – and  the TSA agent – about her hip.  Nevertheless, the agent led her to the footprints painted on the floor to conduct a thorough pat-down.  So then my role shifted.  It became my responsibility to quickly pass through security, collect our things from the conveyor belt, and stay as close to them as possible.  This is the adult-child’s role during airport security.  A few minutes later Mom was cleared to proceed to the boarding area.”

Kathy also talks about keeping important documents safe; staying oriented aboard the enormous cruise ship; whether or not to attend the same activities; enduring day-long excursions; planning – and much more.  Her article includes photographs.

Permission is granted for this article to be printed and given to friends.  In addition, this article may be either reprinted or adapted, as long as the website, http://leecuestalive.com/, is acknowledged as the source.

Lee Cuesta says, “My website is dedicated to helping you maximize the second half of your life as a Baby Boomer.”  His article entitled “Succeeding With Baby Boomers” is published in InSite magazine, and can also be viewed at his website.  The article’s subtitle is: “Boomers’ real needs and expectations may surprise you.”  

For instance, Cuesta comments: “If you want to reach the affluent Baby Boomers, then don’t talk to them about retirement, but re-invention.  Their lifestyle will achieve a balance between meaningful work that provides a mission and purpose, along with times of relative disengagement to enjoy travel, family, discovery, and adventure.”  Smith and Clurman write that the majority of Baby Boomers “will cycle themselves in and out of the workforce with work that is full-time when they’re doing it but that they do only part of the time.”

Lee Cuesta is a popular writer and speaker.  He is the author of the journalistic novel, Once: Once – Spanish for “11:11” – about the religious persecution in Chiapas, and an autonomy movement in the American Southwest.

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Lee Cuesta Live is dedicated to helping you maximize the second half of your life as a Baby Boomer. As Baby Boomers, we expect never to retire. We want to keep working in productive, fulfilling roles. That’s why I offer my services as writer and speaker, drawing upon my lifetime of cross-cultural experience.