Planning a trip is so exciting. Some nursing homes will make arrangements for their residents to participate in these types of group adventures. For some, these could even be new experiences or wonderful reminders of the past.
I know when my Mom was in a nursing home, she could no longer drive, but she still loved to travel, meet people, and experience good food. She could manage with her walker or sometimes you can rent those scooters, which makes it easier to get around and sightsee. I’m so happy that these things can be arranged by the Activity Director, Staff, and Doctors to enrich people’s lives.
Imagine being able to hop on a bus in Nashville and take a scenic bus ride to Michigan’s cherry orchards or a cozy Great Lakes cruise. Travel rekindles joy, independence, and camaraderie.
So pack some cosy sweaters and your warm socks, check to make sure all safety measures are in place, then go have an adventure!
Senior-Friendly Trip Ideas (in The North)
I grew up in the north and I can personally attest the fact that it’s well worth a trip. It is so beautiful, during every season, and there are loads of activities to things to do:
Scenic Tours
- Michigan’s Tunnel of Trees (M-119): A breathtaking fall foliage drive with stops at quaint bakeries.
- Mackinac Island Car-Free Getaway: If you’re up for it, gentle bike rides to historic hotels and no steep hills.
- Lighthouse Tours
Relaxing Group Cruises
- Great Lakes Short Voyages: Wheelchair-accessible ships with onboard medical staff.
- Shipwreck Diving tours or Glass Bottom Bout Tours
- Charter Fishing
National Park Adventures
- Sleeping Bear Dunes (Michigan): Paved overlooks for seniors who prefer easy walks.
- Smoky Mountains (TN/NC): Accessible trails close to home.
There are so many things to do up North in all seasons! While I’ve covered a few to give you a glimpse of what’s out there, the list of activities is actually almost endless.
The Eating Is Good Here
When you are in Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, you have to try the local delicacies. Treat yourself to dishes that originated around the world (mostly Europe) and perfected by the locals:
- Thimbleberry Jam
- Whitefish
- Cudigh
- Trenary Toast
- Smoked Fish and Jerky
Look for all the specialty shops for a delightful nibble.
Now, eating out is always a big part of travelling, so if you find yourself in Frankenmuth (Michigan), see if you can get into the Bavarian Inn Restaurant & Lodge. Touted as the best restaurant in Michigan according to lovefood.com. Millions of people have come to the all-you-can-eat German eatery, and it does not disappoint!
Look around and try to find all the different foods available. Creole, Mexican, Swedish, Italian it is a real melting pot to try things you might not have tried before.
Just make sure you have your stomach remedies in order before being brave.
In fact, can I take a moment just to go through some safety issues?
Safety Tips:
Health Precautions
- Heat & Hydration: I find it really dry in the North, so keep yourself hydrated at all times, BUT also make sure you know where the bathrooms are to make planning things easier.
- Stomach issues: If you have issues like this, do be careful when trying new things, keep the Tums handy.
- Medication Management: This concerns me on trips like these. You need to be sure you know your medication needs as well as the Staff who is monitoring these things on your trip. If you feel your blood pressure changing and your sugars are high or low make sure you know who to tell.
- Watch your alcohol intake, keep your wits about you
Financial Safety
- Keep your eye out for oddities like strange charges on your card, but also watch for anyone who might be trying to take advantage of you or your fellow traveler. Pickpockets are everywhere, so keep your money in a safe place.
- Don’t keep all your money in the same place
- Have different payment options
- Be careful at ATM’s and they can have special electronics to duplicate your details. If it doesn’t look right, use a different one.
Cautionary warning: A 2020 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report found that 1 in 8 seniors are financially exploited by caregivers during trips. I know this is hard to believe, but just be vigilant.
Physical & Emotional Safety
Groups of what might appear to be easier targets for thieves could get badly hurt if jumped or knocked over, all in the hopes of grabbing a few dollars from travelers.
Be aware of your surroundings and take extra caution in public:
- Don’t wave your money, cards, phones (generally, any expensive things) in public
- Beware of isolation tactics where someone tries hard to get you alone, separated from your group by various means/tactics
Maybe at the end of each day, an informal meeting could be held just to make sure everyone is okay and feels safe. If anything seems odd or someone is behaving oddly, just have a quick word.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center notes that seniors with disabilities are 3x more likely to face sexual violence, often by ‘trusted’ aides, and travel makes these situations more noticeable sometimes. Abusers exploit the chaos of travel. If it feels wrong, trust that instinct.
When the trip is over and everyone is giddy and happy and thinking of their own bed, ask them these questions:
- Did staff ‘confiscate’ souvenirs or cash?
- Is your resident suddenly fearful of a caregiver?
- Unexplained bruises or infections?
If anything is untoward, keep documents of bank slips or pictures of injuries and make reports if you notice changes in behaviors toward certain staff by residents, or if any staff behave oddly towards a resident, or if any staff are being bullied.
If any of your findings or even reports come to your attention, you must report things to the authorities as well as your family. Unfortunately, there are too many such examples.
For instance, the National Institute of Aging has reported on a Nashville nursing home that was discovered to have staff members abusing its residents. And no action was taken against them for a long time – we’re talking months. Ultimately, it was only thanks to a Nashville nursing home abuse lawyer that the nursing home was brought to justice, and the horrendous situation has finally been fixed.
Conclusion
Traveling is nice in general. But when it comes to older people, especially those in nursing homes, traveling can be AMAZING! This has a lot to do with those people feeling young and energized again because of it.
However, in order to keep the experience positive and joyful, we also need to make certain preparations. And hopefully, this article has shown you how to do that.
So, what’s left is to prepare, do that trip, come back, unpack your socks and go tell all your friends about the fun you have had, and start planning the next trip.
Maybe next time you’ll go snowmobiling or skiing in the Great White North.
Travel can be invigorating and make anyone feel young again. It encourages new experiences and can bring much joy and wonder back into lives. Ideally, nothing negative affected any of the happy travelers, but we must be prepared for everything.
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