Dear So What Good Will it Do
Dear M,
My husband and I know that we have been putting off talking about our older years. It just has never seemed like the thing to do. We’ve always seen it as doom and gloom. Lately, I have been reading a lot about aging in newspapers and popular magazines. I keep seeing that we should talk about this. But, if we don’t know what is going to happen as we get older, we don’t understand what good will it do?
Dear So What Good Will it Do,
I can’t even to begin tell you how much good it will do! If you had the opportunity to spend a day with me, observing my consulting and managing our clients’ care, you would see with your very own eyes why it makes sense. For 30 years, I have been advising people who are well (or not) in their 60’s and 70’s to have “the conversation.” It may not be just once. It is more likely a process. One of you would bring up any one of many aging-related topics:
Where will we want to live?
Will we have enough money?
What options will we have?
Will we want to be close by our children, friends, extended family?
“What if”…. Then, what will I/we do?
While it is true that none of us know what changes will occur in our body, mind, income/assets, etc., these are the most prevalent changes. These will drive your planning. We have found that contingency planning is where it is at! In this instance, what would you want to have happen? What if you were unable to make decisions for yourself, whom would you want to make those decisions for you? That could be about your health care and/or your finances. What if there were choices to be made about where to reside? What factors would you consider?
Is it making sense that you start to talk? With another person?, A spouse or partner or friend? Possibly with children or a niece/nephew.
It may make the most sense to engage two or three trusted Advisors:
An Elder Care Consultant
An Elder Law Attorney
A Financial Planner
Having had a Consultation with the Elder Care Consultant to discuss life’s choices in your older years and having discussed Advanced Directives for Health Care, it would make sense to meet with a Financial Planner. You will want to know which of your contingency plans will or will not be realistic given your financial picture. Of course, we would always advise you to also engage an Elder Law Attorney to work with you on your estate plan. You now have a solid Team.
Ready to talk?
