Everyone talks about planning for THE future, but what’s more important is planning for A future; a future that is vibrant and fulfilling.
Financial advisors, Funeral Home Directors, Health Professionals, and Life Insurance companies are in the business of helping you plan for your future. Older Americans are deluged with mailings and invitations to pre-plan everything.
Physicians and other Health Professionals will predict your future health status based on your current physical indicators. Physicians plan to maintain your health status and hopefully improve your life quality and quantity.
Your Financial Advisor, no doubt, is predicting the length of time your estate will last and if it is enough to meet your needs during your lifetime. The Funeral Home Director wants to help you plan and prepay for your service, so your family doesn’t have to.
After all the planning is done who can you talk to about a future that you can look forward to?
Does your planning include the possibility of moving into an Adult Retirement Community?
Beyond planning for health status and financial issues, individuals need to plan for their living environments. Do you feel it is important to stay in your current home? What is the best circumstance that will allow you to thrive, not just survive?
Ethel’s story about planning for her future.
(Names changed for privacy)
We met Ethel at McCrite Plaza several years ago. Ethel lived on the family homestead all her life. Five generations had farmed the land and raised their families there. The homestead had grown to several hundred acres. Ethel was planning for a future after her husband passed away, and she knew her sons were not interested in farming. It was a major decision, and it took great courage to make a change, but she told us that she knew it was time to create a new future. Her family supported her decision and helped her with downsizing and the farm sale. She took her treasures and moved into a lovely retirement apartment at McCrite Plaza.
The burden of responsibility disappeared, and she is thriving in her new apartment. She is surrounded by new friends and activities. Her children and grandchildren visit her weekly just for fun. She said, “My kids come to visit now, and there are no chores for them to do. It is wonderful!”
Ethel’s life plan included the most crucial element. She knew where she lived out her life would make a big difference in her health and happiness.
Where you live makes a difference. It is essential to ask yourself these questions.
- Do you live alone?
- Are you able to manage the current upkeep of your current residence?
- Do you have supportive family close by?
- What is your health status, and what are the normal progressions of your health issues?
- Can you cook or obtain nutritious food?
- Are you able to continue to drive, or when do you intend to quit?
- Do you know where you would go if you could no longer live at home?
The timing of a move is important.
Too often, people only think about nursing facilities or nursing home centers, but there are many opportunities to experience a vibrant lifestyle in a senior retirement community.
The most successful moves into retirement housing are made earlier, not later. When an individual plans a move when they are still independent, it makes the integration much easier and more productive. At McCrite, we’ve heard it repeatedly – new senior living residents say, “I should have made the move sooner!”
Betty’s story of planning for her future.
Betty came to McCrite Plaza because she had an early diagnosis of macular degeneration. Although she was quite capable of staying in her current residence, she decided to move early to adjust to a new smaller environment. Her future planning included preparing for the worst possible scenario with her failing eyesight. As a result, she established a new and easy-to-manage home at McCrite’s Independent Living Community. She and her family were all comforted knowing that whatever her needs might demand, she would have everything for her future right at hand.
Betty hoped for the best but was careful to plan for any scenario.
Statistics paint an important picture.
Caregiver.org reports that today approximately 63% of persons aged 65 and older (6.3 million) are currently receiving care. The lifetime probability of becoming disabled in at least two activities of daily living or of being cognitively impaired is 68% for people aged 65 and older.
The odds are high that all of us may need additional support; how will you manage that, and what choices will you make?
McCrite Plaza has it all.
Whether Seniors need a Retirement Home, Independent Living Facility, Assisted Living Home, Rehabilitation after a hospital stay, or Nursing Home Center, McCrite Plaza has it all. Our residents are often able to stay in our community throughout their life as their needs change.
Staff and residents become family. Careful attention to changing health status makes it easier to identify when a higher level of care is necessary, and some changes may require only a temporary increase in care.
Fred’s choices made it easy to get the help he needed.
Fred was living in an independent senior apartment home at McCrite Plaza when he and his doctors decided that he would do well with a knee replacement. After surgery he moved temporarily into the Rehabilitation Center at McCrite for 30 days for restorative therapy. When his rehab was complete, he was able to move back comfortably into his retirement apartment.
With this seamless transition he was able to get the advanced care that he needed without any hassle.
When older adults engage in proactive planning, they may decide to leave their current home and move to a Senior Retirement Community. All daily living activities can be supported with the additional benefits of socialization, activities, exercise opportunities, housekeeping, prepared meals, laundry, etc.
This type of planning is proactive or what we call, “living on the offense”.
As was previously said, preparing for the future is dramatically different than preparing for a future. What a difference a little word makes! With years of experience working with the Senior population, we see it over and over.
While great emphasis goes into planning for the future with health and financial advisors, other important planning may be overlooked. Remember that planning for a fulfilling and vibrant life is just as important. Making a move is such a big decision that it may just be avoided or ignored. Planning for a future is about creating an environment where you can stay active and involved. What do you want to be doing in the next chapter of your life? Retirement Residences at McCrite Plaza provides opportunities for socialization, great food, lots of activities, outings, happy hours, music, and entertainment.
Abraham Lincoln said, “The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
As you think about your future, it is best to explore all options for independent senior housing. Timing is critical, and having choices is so advantageous. We invite you to make a call and come for a tour at McCrite Plaza in Kansas City or Topeka, where we plan to make the rest of your life the best of your life.