Publisher's Synopsis
Why do we procrastinate when it is obvious a decision is needed? We find reasons to wait, deny, ignore, or just hide our fears when faced with a stressful decision. If you delay too long before making a decision that involves moving or making new friends; if you outlive your childhood friends and don't make new friends, you might have a quiet and lonely life. Even a greater concern is a gradual decline of health. You and your family can fail to see or accept realities and risk of falling, lack of meal planning skills and medication "confusion". There is another risk - you might not have your choice of options when your doctor says, "You will be released from the hospital in two days and, you will not be able to return and live alone in your home. A hospital social worker will assist you and your family in locating a care facility." Suddenly, you and your family will be faced with a life changing decision as you seek a short term or long-term care facility. Your options might be very limited, especially if you require physical therapy or are bedfast or unconscious or must be fed through a stomach tube. You may not be in a stable condition to assist with decisions regarding your immediate or long-term care. Your spouse or family will assume the role of decision maker - with or without power of attorney. At any age, your health and mobility can change quickly as result of accident or stroke and other reasons beyond your control. Another reality as you age - you lose contact or become unable to maintain social contact with friends, immediate family, and extended family members. If you have an urgent need for specialized healthcare, your options can be limited. You may have to move to a distant location. No one can prepare a detailed plan to avoid these or other "unknown" realities. But your efforts to gather information and consider options will enable you and your family to make an informed decisions when sudden needs arise. I will offer my personal timeline of downsizing and moving that resulted in a positive effect on my life - and hopefully for my family. Looking back, I recall some vital signs that indicated daily routines for my wife and myself would change at some point - slowly or... quickly. I tried to deny that reality as long as possible. As you continue reading, I hope you will recall similar milestone events during your own lifetime. If you have not already discussed your last wishes with your spouse and/or family - I urge you to have that conversation. It will improve quality of life for you and your family. I will review information and methods to assist you in documenting or at least verbally sharing your desires with your spouse, family, and your doctor - possibly with a close friend. My thoughts are result of personal experience and information obtained from sources as noted. If you have already discussed your desires or tentative plans, you will better prepared to make health care decisions. Planning and forethought will reduce your risk of being unprepared when you or your spouse are admitted to a hospital. Even with preplanning you, our surviving spouse, or your estate could be liable for unpaid medical expenses. Count yourself fortunate if you have not experienced the helpless feeling - hearing a doctor say that you or spouse cannot return home. If you are seriously considering your options to downsize and move, I'm sure you have read articles or heard presentations related to "senior" aspects of downsizing and moving. Retirement and health related topics sooner or later become spoken or sadly - "ignored" topics for retirees and family members. Healthcare services and products are cornerstones of our national economy (18 % of our GDP - $3.6 trillion in 2018). Most of the retirement and health care information is free - often written by people with training and experience in financial planning and specialized services and products supplied by the healthcare industry.