So often people think of others—such as their aging parents—when considering in-home care, but maybe it’s time to apply all that research to…you.
When it comes to planning for the future, now is the best time to start.
Whether you are happily married with a large family or joyfully single with a few close friends, it benefits you and everyone you are connected to if you plan for how you will age successfully.
Those conversations you’ve prepped to have with your parents about their Golden Years? You know, the ones about “taking away the keys” or moving to a facility of some kind or hiring a professionally-trained caregiver or updating the bathroom? It’s time to have a little talk with yourself about these things and much more.
In her book, “Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Old?”, author Joy Loverde breaks down the process in five parts: Personal Readiness, Where You Live Matters, Ties That Bind and Unwind, Safety Nets, and No Tomorrow. She gets candid about “facing the truth of friends and family coming to your rescue” and “the game changer” of chronic illness, among many other reality checks.
When it comes to elder care planning, the first step is the conversation. Even though this is about you, the same principle applies:
*Who is part of your team?
*Go over your fears.
*What type of emotional and financial support do you want or need?
*Create an action plan.
In this stage, you want to put together a list of not just goals for the future, but focus on personal hobbies, interests, and activities.
Next, it’s time to crunch the numbers to see if you will want to move to be closer to family, relocate to a dream destination, find a state with lower taxes, or stay put and determine your comfort level with home care and other support:
*What public benefits are available to you and what do you qualify for? This includes social security and various Medicare plans.
*How will you pay for long term care options, such as home care?
*What’s the cost of maintaining your home vs. relocating?
Each state has different resources for elder care planning. You can get started with services such as Elder Care Resource Planning or AARP to learn more and download handy checklists.
