About Urban Excursions

The Vision

Urban Excursions helps families celebrate and honor the elderly by creating community and peace of mind. We value the aging process and believe in celebrating each person’s unique life-journey with dignity.

Our Mission

The mission of Urban Excursions is to help families embrace the phases of aging by creating specialized activities that create a social connection, stimulating activities and peace of mind. We embrace each day with joy, laughter and fun!

Brief History

Seven years ago, I moved my father into my home so that I could provide the level of care he required. I quickly saw that while he suffered from dementia and was often confused, he still had a positive outlook on life, enjoyed participating in activities, and initiated conversations with other people in the community whenever he was out of the house. And although he used a cane and moved very slowly, he was mobile enough to go on short walks. Clearly, staying at home all day while I was at work would not allow my father to stay as engaged and active as he and our family would like.

I searched for any programs in Portland that offered social outings for seniors, who were not living in an assisted living community,  but couldn’t find anything that fit him, his personality, his physical abilities and his cognitive condition. There were many drop-off centers where he could go and sit for the day and maybe play bingo, but he told me those places made him feel “old and depressed.” I looked into “companionship” agencies that would provide somebody to pick him up and take him to the bank or grocery store, but these did not satisfy his social needs and were somewhat costly. Frustrated, growing more concerned about his daily isolation and overwhelmed by the responsibility of creating and directing his activities calendar while working full time, I began reaching out to caregivers in similar situations. I found that I was not alone in my experience and realized that my background in program development and community outreach positioned me to respond to this unmet need—leading to the genesis of Urban Excursions.

Organizational Values

• Fun!
• Compassion
• Engagement
• Kindness
• Creativity
• Innovation
• Ethical & transparent business practices
• Honoring diversity
• Providing equitable services
• Safety with every interaction