New Year Resolution, Age with a Plan

 Aging is a fact of life that we will all face during our lifetimes. Aging often creeps up on us and, once apparent, requires immediate attention. The issues of aging are also unique in that people usually only get one try. In other words, we simply do not get the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and “do it better” or “try harder” the next time.
Over 20 percent of America’s population is over the age of 55. Today, of the over 280 million people in the United States as recorded through the 2000 Census study, over 24 million are between the ages of 55 to 64 and another 35 million are age 65 or older. So, what does that mean to you? It means that there are a lot of people competing for limited resources – whether it be medical personnel specializing in geriatric care, in-home care resources or retirement communities, etc. As such, planning ahead is now more important than ever. We never plan to fail… we fail to plan!
Planning Ahead involves:
1. Knowing what signs to look for that may indicate functional challenges
(both physical and mental).
2. Understanding living arrangement alternatives to be prepared if or when a change
becomes necessary.
3. Being anticipatory and preventative.
4. Ensuring necessary legal documents are executed.
5. Developing a financial or retirement plan.
6. Evaluating insurance coverage options.
7. Creating a legacy of memories while still possible.
Myles McNamara is owner of Comfort Keepers In-home Care, he can be reached at 661-287-4200.