A Roadmap for Senior Care Planning
Is it fairly safe to assume that most people would not set out for a road trip without considering the route even just a little bit? I know I wouldn’t. If I were driving across the country, for example, I would want to know which way is the most direct as well as what the scenic route might be like. It would depend on what my preference would be for that trip. What weather concerns might I anticipate? Road construction?
How far am I going? How many tanks of gas might I need? What are the gas prices along the way? Do I have the funds I will need for that? How reliable is my car?
These are all things that can, and should, be considered before heading out for a road trip. You also want to have a GPS or even just a map if that is all that is available. Some people may be able to navigate their way without these things, but I know I could not. I would make many wrong turns, for example, spend so much time trying to find my way again and use money for gas that I hadn’t calculated.
Maybe once I sit down and plan it all out, I will determine that I do not have the resources to travel across the country. What will I do if something unexpected happens, like needing car maintenance? Maybe I realize that getting across the country will be too difficult or even impossible for me. Do I want to head out on the trip anyway and see how far I can make it? What might my plan be if I can only make it halfway across?
Is this a lot of effort to put into a road trip? Yes, but to get in our cars and just set out is counter intuitive for most of us. Since we know that whatever amount of planning we do ahead of time will make our trip more comfortable, we spend some effort.
Senior care planning is the same. The most expressed goal for people is to age-in-place at home. If that is true for you, that is your destination point. You can spend the time and effort to map it all out and make decisions ahead of time. I would want to know if I can anticipate running out of money for gas before I set out on my road trip, for example.
Here are some things to consider as you plan for what will happen as you get older. What will I need to stay at home successfully? How will I get meals if I can’t cook? How will I keep my home clean and in good repair? What happens if I can’t take my medications reliably anymore? How much do home care services cost? Who can be there along the way if I need help? Is my home designed in a way that I can stay if I need to use a wheelchair? What would happen to my spouse if something should happen to me? Where will I opt to go if staying home is not an option?
If I know I can’t make it across the country on my road trip without a lot of peril, I will change my destination or at least my expectations. Most people I know would too. Planning to successfully age-in-place at home should be looked at in exactly the same way.
Michelle Woodbrey is the co-founder of 2Sisters Senior Living Advisors and a contributing expert for ECDOL. She has been working in the field of senior living for over 20 years.
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