By not planning for the future we guarantee that we will leave our children with a tremendous burden. Just about the time they are preparing for their own retirement and their children's college education, adult children often are overwhelmed with decision-making for their aging parents.
As a long term care administrator I heard it daily, "I don't want to be a burden to my children." But unintentionally most of us make it even harder for our children by not clearly defining our wishes or preferences. We can help them out by asserting control over our future health care, residential choices, and even how we will die. There are specific and discrete steps we can take to shape our own destiny. Many of these tasks only take a few moments of your time, some take a little research and others may require professional assistance. None of them are extremely costly or difficult.
So why don't more of us do this type of planning? Seniors are concerned about losing control of their life and being a burden to their grown children but many just don't know what to do. For instance, the majority of people want to die at home, but very few do. Become familiar with your options and make your preferences known while thinking clearly, while free from pain and prior to an emergency or crisis.
The loss of a parent is difficult enough for an adult child. We can save them additional grief by doing the following,
You can avoid becoming a burden to your children by taking control of your end of life with as much care, intent and forethought as you have lived the rest of your life.
About The Author
Linda LaPointe, MRA is an ElderLife Matters coach and author of several products to assist families experiencing aging including the pamphlet, Don't Be a Burden: 100 Tips. Get free articles and information at www.sospueblo.com.
ohare limo service Grand Rapids ..Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed... Read More
Checking accounts are an absolute necessity these days. You can... Read More
1. New Word of the DayIntroduce your preschooler to a... Read More
After giving up my profession to become a wife, a... Read More
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a... Read More
Parents are losing their self-control to anger. A friend called... Read More
Have you ever experienced one of those days when you... Read More
One reason public schools get away with educational failure, year... Read More
Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More
"What age should my child start school?"This is a common... Read More
If your parenting methods include abuse of any kind; physical,... Read More
Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice.... Read More
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus... Read More
Sometimes dreams really can come true! May 8th - 11th,... Read More
Q. "What do you want to be when you grow... Read More
Thank you to all of our professional educators who dedicate... Read More
Single parents are not often thought of as good parents.I... Read More
Picture this. Your child comes home with a special assignment... Read More
So you have just returned home from your third meeting... Read More
Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please just... Read More
Q. Our 17-year-old son wants us to let his girlfriend... Read More
Criticism is punitiveOur children judge themselves on the opinions we... Read More
Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More
This past holiday season Canadians spent over $45 billion-with parents... Read More
Anorexia nervosa is a serious medical disorder that is statistically... Read More
executive chauffeured services Barrington Hills ..Imagine having no television for an entire season. Such was... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
Homework. It doesn't have to be a daily battle of... Read More
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child... Read More
Q. When you consult with a family with teens, what... Read More
In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as... Read More
Giving with a happy heart. If you teach a child... Read More
Many research studies have shown the overall effectiveness of stimulant... Read More
Home-schooling removes children from public school. That alone makes home-schooling... Read More
In theory, working at home is an ideal situation. But... Read More
Kitchens are where everything happens. It's not just where meals... Read More
Studies have shown that:1 out of 4 children were sent... Read More
Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still... Read More
Q. With the school year just beginning, what can we... Read More
According to a September 2004 study by the RAND Corporation,... Read More
Do you have a young child whose weight or eating... Read More
An address given by Rev. David B. Smith... Read More
The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all... Read More
I know this Mom. She homeschools her 5 children, plus... Read More
Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along... Read More
Saturday mornings. Cold cereal and Scooby Doo. How many parents... Read More
I love Google and Yahoo. With Google and Yahoo I... Read More
If you had to spend 4 or 5 hours in... Read More
One of my first memories of childhood is that of... Read More
Look around: Your kids are counting sleeps until the last... Read More
Parenting |