Life is full of difficult conversations and planning ahead for aging care needs is one of them. However, one thing that makes them easier is knowing that your forethought will help your family in the future. If you think about it, you don’t want your children and family to have to guess at what you want or to have to take care of you and have a heavy burden because they want to do what’s right by you but they don’t know for sure what that is. For this reason, make it a priority to plan ahead now — for the kids!!

When planning ahead for aging, several key options should be considered to help ease the role of family members who may become caregivers. Advance Healthcare Directives, Powers of Attorney, Housing considerations, Insurance, and financial plans are all important to organize, along with important documents. Additionally, engaging in open and honest conversations with your family about wishes, values, and expectations for care takes out the guesswork.