The words of Pope Francis often had very down-to-earth meaning. Here are excerpts from an encouraging reflection, merely two months ago, on “old age” from the late Pontiff*:
“Yes, we must not be afraid of old age, we must not fear embracing becoming old, because life is life, and sugarcoating reality means betraying the truth of things. …Restoring pride to a term [“old age”] too often considered unhealthy is a gesture for which we should be grateful…
Guess what might be one of the most painfully underestimated costs of all? If you guessed healthcare and end-of-life care you are correct. Read on for a handful of reasons why it can be dangerous to avoid addressing this topic.
First a brief introduction. Anyone who has been a direct or indirect care giver for an aging relative or friend knows the pain and stress that can be involved. Of course, there are joyful care relationships, which ultimately are the goal. Where the difficulty begins is in estimating the costs of later-in-life care. Then, even worse can be executing the logistics of care and the ultimate reality of having to pay for – or running out of funds to pay for – care, whether for oneself or a spouse or relative. Timing is often almost completely unpredictable.
This topic has become far more complicated post-coronavirus.
Back in 2017, 2018 & 2020 TGIF 2 Minutes explored “Caring For Aging Parents”… which then became “Caring For an Aging Friend”. Whether caring for a family member or friend, finding and putting into action Care (with a capital “C”) may be more stressful than ever – both for Care-receiver and Care-giver.
Thanks to a couple of smart and very caring friends of mine for today’s quick post. Everyone with a mother, mother-in-law (MIL) or even a grandmother will want to read on.
We cannot ever have enough resources when a parent or grandparent needs care or help getting around. Women tend to live longer than men, so Mom and Grandma are the ones who need the most help in their later years. Family members provide the highest percentage of help but often get in over their heads. The next step becomes researching in-home care giving – which has become exorbitantly expensive while still necessary.
This year’s Fourth of July, celebrated with a long weekend, is lining up to be much more celebratory than one year ago. Thank goodness for that! The 3-day weekend will allow families and friends to spend time together – just like “old times”. Considering the year-long pandemic there may be families who have not been together in one place for over a year, two years or longer. This opens up the opportunity for celebration as well as “family fireworks” that can be just as explosive as the fireworks that will be lit all weekend long at beaches and towns throughout America.
In a prior TGIF 2 Minutes, I referred to “10 Topics Likely NOT Discussed at the Thanksgiving Table”. These included a couple of money and family related topics often not discussed due to their emotional nature. Here, a closer look at two conversations that can prevent much pain and expense at a later time:
Back in 2017 & 2018 TGIF 2 Minutes explored “Caring For Aging Parents”. The topic and its challenges will always be timely. And there is another angle to the issue that can be equally as gut-wrenching: caring for – or caring about – an aging friend or neighbor who has little or no family available and no apparent plan for aging.
It may be impossible to entirely avoid the pain of aging – in the context of you, a family member or both. But wouldn’t it be nice if you could at least lessen the pain and stress?
The following edition of TGIF 2 Minutes originally appeared in January 2017. But due to popular demand and recent inquiries on this critical subject I am re-running it.
Grandma moving in?? Traveling to help mom and dad from time to time? Sharing tasks with your siblings to help out your parents?
“Caring for Aging Parents” is an emotional and involved topic that takes FAR longer than two minutes to cover. However, it is a critical topic and one that comes up daily in my conversations with friends and clients. Think about it: how many times have you been part of this conversation in the past several months alone… among friends/family?? I bet more than once!
In a previous edition of TGIF 2 minutes I reviewed the topic of “Caring for Aging Parents.” The subject remains a big, big topic of conversation with friends and clients. PLUS, as people experience caring for a parent they suddenly say: How much do I need to be concerned about planning for MY OWN Long-Term Care down the line?!
Definitely a smart question and hence the “2.0”. The costs of Long-Term Care are staggering, and the emotions can be too. Let’s take a brief look at recent news on costs. Continue reading “Caring For Aging Parents 2.0”
