Parent Care

We generally either have parents that are, or will go through elder care issues in their later years, or are the parents who will face these challenges ourselves.  This is typically a very stressful and confusing time for most families because of the emotions that come to the surface when discussing aging and death.  But last we checked, there is only one person who was able to avoid death, and that is why it is so very important to have a plan.

The most common way people deal with this is to do nothing until it is forced upon them by illness or a life altering event.  Some may buy long term care insurance and feel as though they have it covered, but that is only the tip of the iceberg and there are so many other issues that need to be addressed.

We try to look at things differently and much more deeply because this season in one’s life is about so much more than just having the ability to pay for it.  It is about allowing individuals to age gracefully, with dignity, under their own terms with a support structure that understands their wishes and will help them live it out.

We feel it is important for the family to be involved and to understand issues like what type of care is desired?  Do you want to stay in the home as long as possible or be proactive and move into a facility that can transition from one stage of care to another?  Is moving in with a child an option?  What do you do with the house, it’s contents and heirlooms?  We look at the effects of these decisions on your family and your finances and help determine a path to best protect both.  We work with you to make sure all the proper legal documentation is in place so decisions can be made by those best suited to make them.  We have conversations around these topics and many more on the front end so that when that day comes there is a well thought out plan to guide you and/or your family in the decisions that will have to be made.

We have found that if you properly plan for the future and openly communicate that with those involved, which is typically the family, the level of stress and burden is significantly reduced.  With being proactive in these conversations, the family has a much better understanding and chance of working through this period in a healthy and compassionate manner.

We would welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with you around this topic and see if we can help you better prepare for what the future may hold.