Topic: proactive planning
Are you ready to take charge of the future? Whether supporting an older parent or planning for your own aging, it’s crucial to understand the intricacies of long-term care and be prepared for any unexpected twists and turns.
Lisa Mayfield, our principal and founder, was invited by Kristine McHugh, Lead Advisor with Brighton Jones, to a conversation about proactive planning for the essentials of eldercare.
We’ve created a series of eleven episodes, this being the first, from this informative conversation. The next 11 weeks will provide a comprehensive review of the steps, supports, and services everyone needs to prepare for their own aging, that of their partner or spouse, or planning for your parents or others you care about.
Will you need help? According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, recent research shows that “most Americans turning age 65 will need long-term care services at some point in their lives.”1
The first step is to kind of build a team of support around you. Pull in professionals who can help you anticipate, plan for, and navigate changes.
Engaging knowledgeable professionals who can offer guidance and expertise, including:
- An elder law or estate planning attorney ensures that key legal documents such as powers of attorney for finances and health care decisions and advanced directives are up to date. This gives others you trust, whom you’ve chosen, to legally to manage finances and medical decisions if you become incapacitated.
- A financial advisor analyzes assets, projects future costs, assesses insurance options such as long-term care policies, and develops a financial plan to fund anticipated care needs. Learn how to select the right financial advisor for your needs.
- An aging life care professional (aka geriatric care manager). We provide consultation and comprehensive, personally tailored plans addressing health changes, family dynamics, housing, hands-on assistance, and more. We also assist in implementation and ongoing care management. As Lisa shared, there are people like us all over the country. Aging Wisdom serves King and South Snohomish counties in Washington State. We are part of professional association – the Aging Life Care Association– and can help you find care management professionals
Being proactive now leads to greater peace of mind and better outcomes. Preparation emerges as the key to embracing the evolving chapters of life while maintaining a sense of control and independence.
- Who Needs Care? https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/who-needs-care
Additional Resources:
- What is Long Term Care? (Aging Wisdom fact sheet)
- The Power of Planning: Taking Charge of Your Own Aging Journey (article written by Lisa Mayfield for 3rd Act magazine
- Plan Your Lifespan (a website that helps you plan for health events such as hospitalizations, falls, and memory loss that may happen as people get older).
If you are used to having an “annual physical” and ask for that, original Medicare won’t pay for it. That is, original Medicare won’t pay doctors to do a general physical exam “to see what turns up”; you’ll pay out of pocket. (Medicare Advantage might have this as an “extra.” Check with your plan.) …
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Family caregivers, we see you. There are medical appointments to schedule, insurance invoices to reconcile, medication to administer, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, laundry to wash. You also have a home to maintain, and the car needs an oil change and tires rotated. There are finances to manage and bills to pay. All this in addition to caring for your partner or parent. And if you’re lucky, you can get some respite and a little self-care time.
Amid daily responsibilities and within your role as a care partner, do you also find yourself worrying about who would manage all this on behalf of the person in your care if something were to happen to you? …
Contingency Planning: What if Something Happens to You?Read More »
Being proactive by giving serious consideration to long-term care planning provides peace of mind and frees you to fulfill goals as you grow older. Why is this planning important? …
3 Questions You Should Ask about Long-Term Care PlanningRead More »
Unexpected health changes that require long-term care can occur at any age, though the likelihood increases with age. Someone turning age 65 today has a 70% chance of needing long-term care services and supports as they grow older, according to the U.S. Administration on Aging.
I’m sure you know someone who has assisted an aging parent navigate a health challenge. It was likely a stressful situation because their parents had not made plans for long-term care, refused help, and left their adult children to pick up the pieces during a crisis.
This scenario is all too common and why long-term care planning is essential, so your family is not burdened by your potential health, memory, or mobility changes.
Now is the perfect time to make sure you are well set for the future. Planning doesn’t have to be onerous; it will bring peace of mind and allow you to focus on what matters most.
…
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Here are some evidence-based approaches to boost brain health and lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. …
Better Brain Health: What’s good for your heart is good for your brainRead More »
When an adult child asks for money, it’s hard to say no. You want to respond to a need. But perhaps your child perceives that you don’t need all you have, or that they’re simply requesting some of their inheritance, just a bit early.
Before you answer, ask for time to think it over. You want to make a decision based on wisdom, not emotion. You also need time to discuss this with your spouse, if you have one. …
Do you find yourself more easily distracted these days? There is good reason: Concentration is about keeping what’s useful top of mind while at the same time suppressing thoughts that distract from your primary objective. As we age, the “executive” center of the brain becomes less able to sort out distractions. It’s a filtering process that requires heavy brainpower. Many people worry that lapses in concentration are an early sign of Alzheimer’s. Not necessarily. While memory and focus are related, they are not the same thing. …
The pandemic has provided many lessons, including the importance of our communities, the value of the place we call home, and what steps to take to protect and care for our mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
All these factors play essential roles in our overall health, happiness, and ability to remain independent.
Perhaps this is why the Administration for Community Living has chosen to focus on “aging in place—how older adults can plan to stay in their homes and live independently” for Older Adults Month 2022. This year’s theme is “Age my way!” …
8 Tips for Aging Well: Make Your Plan Now for a Healthy, Supported FutureRead More »
Does this sound familiar? It’s a new year. You sit down and thoughtfully write a list of resolutions: Lose 20 pounds by June. Go vegan. Take yoga classes twice a week. Organize your living space. Reserve one hour each day for reading. Stop cussing!
I love lists
Lists keep me focused. Lists help me prioritize projects and meet deadlines. They keep me on budget when I go grocery shopping. My lists are lifesavers, especially in this somewhat chaotic, unpredictable, pandemic-challenged world.
The one list that doesn’t help, however, is my annual list of New Year’s resolutions. Sigh … this is the list by which I can no longer abide. …
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