Dear Friends,
As we enter a new year, many of us have spent time with parents we may not have seen for a while. We may also have seen siblings or other family members who may have made observations about our senior loved ones of concern. Probably the number one topic I get from the emails and calls that I receive is at the time when families can be on different pages. Some family members feel their parents need help, and yet, don’t know how to proceed. They also can have siblings who think Mom and Dad are “just fine” and it can create a wall and difficult family dynamic. Most families who have reached an impasse are there because they are uneducated, and fear for the future. They have no idea how to proceed, and they truly feel like it’s too overwhelming to deal with. Only when there is an emergency, (when planning would have made things a lot easier) they are trying to figure out what to do and how is the best way to have the difficult conversations. How is the best way to support your parents through their changes and transitions? What are the resources that are available to your parents and your family?
That’s why this month is about Preparation, Planning and New Beginnings!
Our professional experts on Answers for Elders Radio can be a valued resource for you to learn about the various considerations that you may face, and we support Western Washington families through expanded content and podcasts that can help you all to help get everyone on the same page, and help to navigate senior care a whole lot easier. We also can help you with how to have those conversations, how to best manage finances when later life care needs to be implemented, and how to prepare for a potential emergency if something should happen in the future. In addition, Answers for Elders provides a Decision Guide of over 65 categories of expertise that can help guide families through the daunting and difficult world of senior care.
We know that new beginnings in a senior’s life can be easy when planned in advance, and everyone in the family is on the same page. We hope to provide a strong foundation to bring families together so when the time is right, you can work together easily.
Happy New Year!
Suzanne
