We all need our friends and family. Sometimes we don’t even think about the role they play in our lives. As we get older, there’s a possibility we may need to branch out and rethink who we need for social capital — our connectedness to other people. We often talk about financial capital and saving enough but our social capital can often dwindle without our even realizing it. The long and short of it is that we need both financial AND social capital as we age.
Below are some of the questions to consider as you decide what kind of help you may need and what kind of decisions you need to make.
If something happened to you today (ie. you fall and are in the hospital or you can’t speak for yourself):
Do you have someone you would call?
Do your friends or family know who to contact?
Is someone able to make decisions on your behalf, if necessary (i.e Powers of Attorney)?
Do your friends or family know where your financial and legal documents are?
Who could step in to manage your household and care until you recover?
Who could help you figure out what kind of additional help you may need?
You need care but you’re able to stay at home:
How much will care cost and can you afford it?
Who could you call for care in the home?
Can someone meet with you and give you advice on all you need to consider?
If you need help cleaning out your house, what options are available?
Who could help you figure out what kind of help you may need?
If you can’t stay in your home and need to move:
Who can help you pack and move?
Who can help you find a senior housing community? (Independent, Assisted Living, Nursing Home)
Can you bring your pet? If not, how can you find him/her a good home?
Who could help you figure out what kind of help you may need?
If you want to plan ahead:
How do you figure out what kind of paperwork you need to have in place if there’s an emergency?
If you don’t have this paperwork, what are your options?
Not sure where to start?
The RoadMap for Aging team can help you with all of these questions.
Contact us to begin the conversation.
RoadMap for Aging
Phone: 303-625-6195
Email: Info@RoadMapForAging.org