The holidays are upon us, and families getting together for possibly the first time in many months. This is the ideal time to catch up with family members, and that includes assessing the physical, emotional and financial state of aging parents. At a minimum, that should include the following three things:
1. Evaluate their health
As people age, changes can occur rapidly. Take the time to really evaluate your parents’ mobility, how they are getting around, what prescriptions they are taking, how they are eating, and if their conversations are clear or confused. Should your parents still be driving?
2. Review senior living options
Whether your parents are determined to age in place in their home or are looking forward to the convenience and security of a senior living community, the time to talk about these options is before you are forced into making a decision.
3. Check off financial and legal items
Do your parents have enough money to retire in the manner they prefer? Will they possibly outlive their money? Who has power of attorney to make important decisions if your parents are incapacitated? Is there a living will?
As difficult and unpleasant as some of these may seem, they are inevitable tasks, and the sooner decisions are made, the happier future holidays will be.
Read it at insurancenewsnet.com