Develop A Proactive Aging Plan

Preparing for Care will help you analyze and implement a proactive Life Transition Plan based on results from the Assessing Quiz to prepare for the needs for the Parents during the different stages of their Golden Years. We will assist with building both a medical and non medical team including a physician, elderly lawyer, financial planner, support groups, home modifications, rehabilitation, housing options, end of life decisions.  Finally, we will act as the liaison between the team of experts, the children on behalf of the parents. Our hands on implementation of the Assessing Plan can be customized for you and your family based on the time you need us involved be it hourly weekly, monthly or yearly.

Plan Before A Crisis Occurs

It is never too soon to talk to your parents about their future and well being. This is a hard conversation because these are your parents and the role reversal is hard for any parent to accept.  It is often tough to figure out how to communicate the right questions without sounding too personal. The most important thing you can do for your aging parents, your own family and most importantly yourself – is this:  Step in and be prepared for what might come. You will find yourself taking on a strange new role, at least for the moment, as these conversations force you and your parents to acknowledge that they will decline and need help – and that they are indeed mortal.
 

A good plan can mean fewer accidents and a longer, improved quality of life for both you, the caregiver, and your parents. Virginia Morris, AARP author in How to Care for Aging Parents writes:

“Think about your reluctance and the reasons for it. Contemplate your role and the risks of both talking and failing to talk. Remember, as uncomfortable as it might be, talking about the worst case scenarios won’t make them come true, and refusing to talk about them won’t make them go away. Ignoring the inevitable will only leave you unprepared for a crisis that is sure to come.”

Break The Silence

Have you ever said to yourself “I don’t know how to talk to my parents”?  If so, Preparing For Care can help guide you through this process.  These conversations are much easier to have when there is no crisis at hand. You can approach tough questions with detachment and use ‘what if’ questions. For example, “Mom/Dad, what if one day you needed more full time care, or had to move, or could not make decisions for yourself?” Discussing the future helps them start thinking about the possibility, starts them talking to one another and gets the wheels turning before any great change has to take place.