Laying the Foundation: Tips for Creating Your Plan for Senior Care

For any adult nearing retirement age, it’s never too soon to make plans about your future care. Even if your health never declines to the point of needing support, having a plan can offer priceless peace of mind for you and your family.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to making plans about senior care. While the future will always have an element of unpredictability, considering your options and formalizing basic plans now can help you and your family steer through uncertain times.

Considering Future Care Wishes – It’s important to know what kind of senior care you would prefer, should it ever be necessary. Would you rather receive care at home or at a senior living community? If the former, you should assess whether your house and its location are ideal for helping you remain independent. If the latter, begin researching types of communities near you (traditional nursing homes, active senior living, assisted living, continuing care communities, etc.) to see which ones you like the most. Doing your research ahead of time can allow you to choose the most desirable community and start making financial plans to make that option possible.

Considering How to Pay for Care – Perhaps the most import considerations to make when planning for future care is how you’re going to pay for the services you might need. Since private health insurance plans, as well as Medicare, do not typically cover long- term care, knowing what financial options are available to you before you need care can make it much more affordable. Financial options for paying for long-term care include:

• Retirement Savings and Other Investments
• Real Estate
• Veteran Benefits
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Medicaid

Considering Others Involved in Your Future – Once you’ve made decisions about how you would like to handle your future care, sharing those plans with your loved ones is important. Not only will it help to ensure that you receive the type of senior care you want should you be unable to communicate your wishes later on, but you will also save your loved ones from the burden of making these decisions on their own.

When the time is right, you can choose to make legal plans, such as a living will or power of attorney. If an accident should occur and you cannot make decisions for yourself, these legal documents will legitimize your healthcare choices. Even if you wait to write up a living will, it’s still a good idea to put your care wishes in writing to avoid any confusion or disagreements among family members.

The Art of Living