Planning for the Future
We prepare for life changes: new house, new baby, college, retirement, etc., but we don’t really plan on our needs after retirement. We don’t plan on getting sick, losing our memories, or having a serious injury or illness. Our viewpoints need to change. In order for everyone to age “well” planning needs to be done by everyone and shared with our loved ones.
Steps
Make sure you have POA (Power of Attorney) in place for healthcare and property. This should be done at age 18 and can be regularly updated. The POA is not used unless you become incapacitated and allows your designated POA to make decisions on your behalf. Make sure this person is trustworthy and has your best interests at heart.
Once your POA is set up you will want to take a look at your estate. If you have a lot of assets you will want to protect them from probate, creditors, and do some tax planning as well. This is the time when you sit down with an elder law attorney who specializes in estate planning, Wills, advance directives, and Trusts. The elder law attorney will discuss your current status, financial situation, and help you plan for the future. A Will tells the judge who you want to get your personal property. Advance Directives aka: Living Will advises your POA and your family what your preferences are should you become incapacitated, seriously ill or injured in regard to life sustaining treatment. Trusts protect the assets from creditors, taxes, and can help you enjoy your current lifestyle in the future.
You may want to consider long term care insurance or a hybrid life insurance policy that includes long-term care so that you have the ability to pay for care without using your personal assets.
You will want to review your legal documents every 3 to 5 years as laws do change. Be pro-active in your planning so that you aren’t reacting during a crisis but smoothly transitioning into a new lifestyle and protecting your family. You will have to figure out your longevity by looking at your parents and grandparents lives. How long are they living or did they live? Do they have diseases or illnesses that you can potentially get? Do you have enough in assets, long term care insurance or other income to cover your life-span? If not, how do you plan on paying for your long term care needs? Public Aid? Family?
If something should happen to you what type of community would you like to live in? Do you want an urban or suburban setting? Do you like green space and nature? A larger apartment complex or more intimate building? An active or more sedate community? Do you want great meals, one that allows pets, has a swimming pool, or a lot of social activities? These are things you should think about. When you’re ready for a lifestyle change it’ll be easier for you to decide on your living arrangements. Use an educated referral service like Elderwerks to help you find the housing that is best suited to you and your needs. The planning can happen in advance and a commitment won’t need to be made until you’re ready.
There are also respite programs in some senior communities so you can try the community without signing a long-term lease. The stay is usually one to three months. This allows the new resident to experience the day-to-day activities, meals, and learn about the people living there.
Planning for the future can help you and your family reduce the stress associated with an unplanned event or change in health. Discussing what you want helps your loved ones support your decisions or make informed decisions on your behalf. If you need more information or help planning please contact Elderwerks for your complimentary assistance at 855-462-0100.