Future care planning empowers older adults to decide between living at home and moving to a suitable community environment. By drawing your road map for the years ahead, you can preserve your choice, dignity, and long-term independence while giving your family peace of mind.
An effective approach to future care planning begins early, and it may evolve. We’ll help you outline the basics to achieve your goals and ensure family clarity. Read ahead for insights into:
- Addressing key questions that your care plan should answer
- Turning care planning into a family collaboration
- Navigating care decisions as a solo ager
- Building a backup plan for remaining at home
The Answers Every Future Care Plan Should Provide
Families often wait too long to discuss future healthcare, so much so that by the time the subject finally comes up, available options are already dwindling. According to Harvard Medical School, most people will eventually need care support, and 70% could require assistance as early as age 65.
It’s never too early to begin future care planning. Outline goals and priorities now to stay in control in case your health status changes or you need to help a loved one. Start by asking several important questions:
Who will help if daily tasks become harder?
Determine which family members or trusted contacts can step in to assist with activities of daily living, such as personal care routines and household chores. Just remember to recognize caregiver limitations to ensure that lending a hand doesn’t turn into overwhelm.
Family caregivers often balance demanding careers, personal responsibilities, and caregiving duties, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Begin researching future care planning services early to relieve the pressure before an emergency occurs, and keep your focus on your closest relationships. By putting the pieces in place now, it’ll be easier to enjoy relationships rather than care needs.
Where is the best setting for care?
Take the time to define an ideal future living situation to accommodate health needs and lifestyle choices. Many people lack concrete plans surrounding future living arrangements, but weighing senior living options against remaining at home is one step closer to solidifying future care planning goals.
Start by researching local options as a family. With a short list of at-home services and senior living communities in your back pocket now, you won’t be scrambling to balance personal interests and health needs when the time comes.
What can your current home realistically support?
You likely have an idea about whether your current living situation is sustainable. Evaluate your home with fresh eyes toward accessibility to decide if it:
- Supports long-term safety
- Presents physical barriers
- Requires structural updates
By checking off these boxes, you can map out alterations, from basic fixes to home modifications, that may make it easier to remain in the same home. This may include:
- Ramps and/or stairlifts
- Grab bars
- Bathroom remodel
Evaluate these aspects alongside your capability and desire to manage daily household tasks. If home maintenance is too much to manage, this may already be a sign that a move is on the horizon.
How would care be paid for?
If your family is concerned about the financial side of future care planning, review personal assets to align care goals and resources. Consider sitting down with a financial adviser to discuss funding sources, including:
- Long-term care insurance
- Personal savings
- Veterans benefits
While arranging appropriate care is an investment, doing so doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Try to find a balance between protecting your financial security and honoring personal goals and values.
When should the plan be revisited?
Think of future care planning as a fluid process, and review your choices regularly instead of making the decision during one moment in time. Families should update this plan at least once per year, and immediately refresh it to account for significant changes, including:
- Major life events
- Health status changes
- Family availability
Update the care plan and important documentation, and keep communicating, so preferences remain clear for decision makers.
A Simple Future Care Planning Script for Every Family
Conversations about the next phase of life can feel difficult, but they don’t have to actually be that way. Discuss concerns as a family with a few plain-language prompts.
|
Key Concern |
Starting Prompt |
Example Goal |
|
Here are my top priorities. Outline your specific lifestyle goals, from living at home to transitioning to community living. |
"It’s most important to me to ..." |
"It’s most important to me to maintain my independence, continue my passions, and stay connected to my community." |
|
Here’s what I want to avoid. As you outline your priorities, also explicitly define health and care scenarios you'd rather avoid. |
"I don’t want ..." |
"I don’t want to become a burden to my family, lose my ability to make choices, or feel isolated from my friends." |
|
This is myecond choice if staying home becomes unsafe. Build a fallback plan with pointed details about alternative living environments and care services to help your loved ones escalate care. |
"If living independently at home is no longer possible, I prefer ..." |
"If living independently at home is no longer possible, I prefer care options that offer support while letting me direct my own day." |
|
This is the next best person to make decisions. Designate a proxy and power of attorney in your will to make healthcare and legal decisions respectively if you can't do so alone. |
"If I’m unable to make healthcare or financial decisions, I trust ..." |
"If I’m unable to make healthcare or financial decisions, I trust [Name(s)] to act as my advocate(s) and honor my wishes." |
A Future Planning Checklist for Solo Agers
Many older adults must go it alone throughout the future care planning process, without immediate support from adult children or other family members. If you’re in a similar situation, use this handy list to create a forward-thinking strategy and choose advocates you trust:
Build your support network.
Identify friends, neighbors, or extended family members who not only can check in regularly but also can protect what’s important to you. Keep the lines of communication open about how to handle certain health scenarios, and give these individuals copies of important documents reflecting your wishes.
Find care coordinators.
Establish relationships with professional advocates, such as geriatric care managers and eldercare navigators. Experienced allies can provide direction for potential health contingencies and even handle the legalities that go along with care coordination.
Update critical paperwork.
Review personal documentation that will impact future care decisions. Even if you’re just starting, organizing financial and legal documents can make care simpler to arrange later. Write it all down, including:
- Power of attorney
- Healthcare proxy
- Advance directives
- Detailed will
Compare home support vendors.
It’s never too early to think about how to support your at-home comfort and aging in place options. Research local providers and make a list with options to prepare your home now and find appropriate care when the need arises. This may include:
- Reliable home maintenance and repair vendors
- Housekeeping, meal delivery, and home care service providers
Learn about transportation services.
Familiarize yourself with local transit options to support your mobility when you’re no longer behind the wheel. Start by mapping out public transit routes and schedules, and if you’re more tech-savvy, download and explore ride-sharing applications too.
Want to take advantage of senior benefits? Remember to explore designated community transit services for older adults.
Organize emergency plans.
Although most future care planning is built for the long term, you also can prepare for short-term unknowns. In case of emergency, take a few steps to ensure you will receive proper care:
- Implement medical alert systems to alert responders.
- Keep an updated list of medications, doctors, and emergency contacts.
Aging in Place Doesn’t Need to Mean No Backup Plan
Many older adults choose aging in place options because they want the familiar comfort of staying in their homes for as long as possible. Does this sound like you? Start your future care planning conversations early with this goal in mind, and develop a safety net to protect your long-term health and independence.
Receive support at every stage.
A continuing care at home program could be a proven stepping stone to protect your future. In fact, research shows that home- and community-based care improve physical health and cognitive function.
WellAhead — A WesleyLife Well-Being Experience supports your overall wellness now and for the long haul. All members receive immediate access to fitness, nutrition, and social resources, and the program scales as needed with seamless care transitions for changing health needs and priority access to community living if it’s time to leave home.
FAQs
When should older adults start planning for future care?
It’s better to be years early than too late. Start planning while you’re healthy and independent. Making decisions early protects your autonomy and prevents family members from guessing what your wishes are during a crisis.
What should a future care plan include?
A thorough plan outlines preferences for where you want to live, who will assist with daily routines, and how services will be funded. It should also include designated decision makers and updated legal documents.
How do I talk with my adult children about future care?
Frame the conversation around your desires for the future, emphasizing that planning ahead provides peace of mind for everyone. Use clear scripts to outline your priorities, alternative options, and financial strategy.
Can I plan to age at home and still prepare for senior living if needed?
Yes, many people plan to remain in their current home while establishing a backup option at a community for older adults. Memberships, such as WellAhead, offer support to stay at home while providing priority access to a community if your needs evolve.
Take Control of Your Future Care Planning
Long-term independence is the goal, but life is truly unpredictable. Plan for your future with a clear vision of ideal care preferences before you need them. The trick is to think beyond “I want to live at home” and account for realistic care options and support resources, so you and your family can strive to honor those wishes.
Download The Complete Guide to WellAhead now for tips on how to remain independent and how WellAhead can help. Ready to take the next step? Start a future care planning conversation with WesleyLife to outline priority goals for the years ahead.
