I spent 3 months traveling in an RV with my 90-year-old mom. It wasn't as challenging as I expected.

Hitting the roadworthy and traveling the country successful an RV is thing caller for my 90-year-old mother, Margie.

After her hubby died erstwhile she was 82, she amazed the full family by buying a 24-foot motorhome she named Whimsey — because she had purchased it connected a whim.

For complete 5 years, she and Whimsey put successful complete 40,000 miles, driving from Florida to Chicago, Montana, Oklahoma, and galore different places.

However, now that she's 90 years aged and dealing pinch arthritis, she's fixed up the driver's spot and talented Whitney to my hubby and me.

Despite having bosom disease, Margie is progressive for her age, truthful erstwhile we decided to return her connected a three-month RV escapade past summer, her doctors gave their blessing, and she couldn't hold to battalion up and go.

My mom is simply a pro astatine RV living, but I worried she'd struggle this clip because of her age

I couldn't hold to walk a fewer months together arsenic we escaped the power and humidity of Florida and made our measurement toward Wisconsin, wherever Margie lived for 25 years. Once there, we planned to sojourn friends and family successful the area.

However, arsenic my mom's caregiver, I wanted to make judge she could comfortably and responsibly bask traveling successful an RV. I worried that the tight space, uneven steps, shared routines, and constricted privateness could beryllium challenging for her age.

Ultimately, she showed maine I had thing to interest about. Even though my hubby and I wanted to return connected astir of the regular tasks, Margie ne'er wanted to beryllium accused of freeloading, truthful she began assigning herself chores.

When we'd get to a campground, my hubby and I worked extracurricular hooking up the electricity, water, and sewer. Margie worked inside, mounting up the K-cup machine, pushing the fastener to widen the L-portion of the sofa that had to retract while driving, and getting our integrative vino glasses fresh to toast our presence astatine different campground.

Along pinch mounting regular tasks for herself, she besides created her ain regular successful the RV.

Each morning, I'd thief her transportation the oatmeal and java she made for herself to the outdoor picnic table, making judge she didn't suffer her equilibrium on the way.

While eating, she would telephone her sister successful Florida to brag astir the cooler temperatures and really we were utilizing the electrical fireplace to lukewarm america up.

She'd besides return the garbage and recycling to the trash bin each morning, ensuring she sewage a small exercise. On the measurement back, she would stitchery sticks for the campfire and chat pinch the neighbors astir wherever they were headed.

In the afternoons, erstwhile she had a cup of java and a portion of chocolate, she'd play her harp, publication the magazines she brought pinch her — AARP, Magnolia, aliases Better Homes and Gardens — aliases crochet a hanging room towel pinch buttons that read, "Handmade pinch love," to springiness arsenic a gift to the adjacent family aliases friend we visited.

No matter what she was doing connected this trip, my mom taught maine that staying active — physically and mentally — tin adhd years to your life.

My mom is already packed for the adjacent RV adventure

After witnessing my mom's independency radiance passim this RV excursion, I realized this escapade wasn't a one-time experiment. As agelong arsenic she is patient capable and wants to go, I dream we tin support making these experiences portion of our lives.

We're now astir to return disconnected connected different road trip covering Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Despite recovering from a caller surgery, Margie has her magazines, crocheting, and harp already packed and fresh to go.

Even astatine 90, my mom is still curious, adaptable, capable, and eager to beryllium portion of the escapade — not conscionable on for the ride. I consciousness fortunate that we still person this clip together, and I don't want to discarded it.