You meet life head on, with your eyes wide open. You like to plan. You like things to unfold your own way. Who wouldn’t?!?
Perhaps you cared for your parents and want things handled differently when you reach your own elderhood. Maybe you do not have children and wonder who will help you when you need it. Perhaps you do have children and want to have your independence, make your own decisions.
This blog is for those who want to proactively plan for their later years. Check out our monthly posts for thoughts that can help you decide what will work best for you in terms of housing, paying for care, and meeting life’s challenges as you age.
Want to set up a plan? Call us for a consultation: (210) 492-1224
Change is the only constant. And as we enter our later years, it seems the changes are more frequent. Do you sense a transition occurring in your life? Whether the change was of your own making or seems thrust upon you, there are strategies to help you weather the process. And at the least, not feel so alone.
The most common reason to move in later years is to be closer to children and grandchildren. Regardless of your reason for relocating, unless you plan to live with family, there will be many hours of the day when you are just plain newbies in town. How will you spend your time? If proximity to younger kin is compelling your thoughts, clarify the role you want to play and see if it’s a shared vision.
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.
“Smarts” are in the eye of the beholder. What’s a smart home “gotta have” for one is simply “cute but unnecessary” to another. Check out the top recommendations for older adult smart home safety features.
Your elder care support team will include friends and family, health care providers, and professional advisors. An Aging Life Care Manager can help you select wisely and coordinate these services effectively.
In your elderhood, it may be that your best, most affordable option is a group care setting. Learn the difference between assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing (rehab), a nursing home, and a continuing care community (aka life plan community).
Support is available for those who wish to stay at home. However, one-on-one care is expensive. And it’s not always easy to find caregivers. Community services can sometimes be patched together.
To stay at home, it helps to have a knowledgeable person check in periodically who knows eligibility requirements and can supervise and coordinate all the players.
How you pay for care at home depends on whether the service is by medically trained staff or by nonmedical caregivers. Also, what you can mix and match in terms of community programs and help from friends and family.
Medicare pays only for care in the home that requires the skills of a nurse, nursing assistant, physical therapist, or other medically trained professionals.
Choosing an assisted living community, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), or a memory care facility is a big decision. You want to get unbiased recommendations for a good match from the start.
Allowing a stranger into your home can leave you feeling quite vulnerable. It’s important that you trust the individual and the company that does the background checks, verifies training, and puts together the schedule.
You also need to interview each company to find out pricing and minimum number of hours, and to see if they have independent quality ratings.
