Burying Your Head in the Sand Isn’t the Answer

For many of us, we’ve been taught since we were children to plan ahead & not procrastinate.  It started when we were in school with “get your homework finished before you go out and play,” or “put your clothes out the night before,” or “have your lunch packed ahead of time.”  As we get older, the advice is a little different but the concept is the same: “By failing to prepare, you are planning to fail,” according to Benjamin Franklin.  Eleanor Roosevelt said that “It takes as much energy to wish it as it does to plan.”

Importance of Planning for Aging

            This concept of planning ahead gets even more important as we age.  In our role of working with older adults & their families, it is astonishing to see the difference that planning ahead makes in terms of care, living options, & general happiness and peace of mind.  For the people who have looked ahead and have done advanced planning, there are countless options and open doors.  For those that have not planned, they and their loved ones are left scrambling to figure out next steps.  It is not a good situation to find out after the stroke has happened that Medicare will not cover long term care needs.  It is not a good situation emotionally, physically or financially to become an overnight caregiver without support.

Financial Considerations for Aging

            Not everyone has the financial resources to save huge sums or to invest in a long-term care insurance plan.  However, everyone can look ahead and have the conversations with loved ones about goals and desires for care when that time comes, & take the needed steps to make sure those goals and desires happen.  Everyone can take the time to legally name a Power of Attorney who can speak & act for them if incapacity occurs. Everyone can take the time to think about how it will affect those around them if they need care.

Facing the Reality of Aging

            It’s easy to bury your head in the sand and think it will never happen to you.  All of us age every day.  The question is, how well will you do it?  Planning goes a long way in ensuring success.