Seniors should create a personal plan for their future, allowing for more peace of mind. It doesn’t just come down to the finances and legal paperwork, but further personal choices. Planning ahead creates a scenario where you make your choices and not someone else for you. 

Personal Choice

Making these decisions can seem difficult in the beginning, but taking the time to make them now can help your future self. 

Some of these choices are:

Where Do You Want to Live

If you’re not proactive about where you want to live later in life, you could get stuck where you’re at. You should ask yourself if it’s important to stay close to your friends and social circles. Wanting to move closer to your family could be another option, but will they have time after their energy goes to their work, families, and routine schedules. This might cause you to have to build a new social circle. 

Another factor is if the climate and community are agreeable with your needs. Deciding what’s important to you, such as what hobbies you want to fulfill or the cost of living can help in choosing the right place for you. 

What Type of Place Do you Want to Live In

Living in your own home provides many comforts, but you need to ask yourself if your home is in good condition and if it’s safe to grow old in. The living space you reside in can set up for aging well or badly. 

Certain factors can be:

• Does your home have a second floor that may not be practical if can’t manage the stairs?
• Is your house too big for one person?
• Is it in a good, safe area?
• Do you have enough assets to support the house while you live there?

Getting Around

At one point seniors need to make a choice if it’s best to give up their driver’s license. It can make them lose a sense of independence, but it can be the best decision for safety. Knowing when it’s time to give it up can be done by filling out a questionnaire developed by DMV. 

If you don’t want to feel trapped at home after giving up your driver’s license then find out the local public transportation system or use options like lyft and uber. There are even senior services that will drive you place, shop for you, and order your meals. In senior care facility all of this can be provided for you.

What About Self-Care

It’s natural that with aging comes more difficulty with completing everyday tasks. Less mobility can lead to seniors feeling depressed and isolated. This leads to more choices needing to be made about finances and if they will need additional resources. 

Options that can help with mobility are senior living facilities and home health care.

Help In Making Decisions

Hiring a profession to help in making decisions can be a good option. Sometimes we don’t have a friend or family member to make these decisions, so hiring a professional fiduciary is beneficial. They can be a neutral party in decision making. 

Make sure you write down all your choices and communicate them to family and friends so they understand your choices. Make an appointment with your attorney to review your choices.

Look into the future and begin making changes now for what you want your life to look like. You can take responsibility for what you really need to create your choices. It can be a crisis that makes those choices for you if you wait and do nothing. You may regret your absence of a plan  and it may take the choice out of your hands.

Reno Valley Assisted Living and Retirement Community

Reno Valley is an assisted living and retirement community that makes living independently, while at the same time feeling safe and secure, a reality. We strive to provide the best quality of life for all residents including those suffering from loneliness and depression.

We offer a comprehensive activity program that includes both physical and social activities to encourage emotional well-being. Our staff is trained to assist those with depression. If you or a loved one are considering assisted living, contact Reno Valley today to learn more about our services or tour our community.