Adventures in Retirement – Planning for the future, adjusting to changes

As we get older, it is wise to evaluate how our lifestyles fit our changing health conditions and our ability to get around. Does the fitness of you and your spouse match up with the convenience of your home and lifestyle?

For example, is your home still convenient for you? Do you have trouble with stairs? Should you consider alternate housing soon to better suit your comfort in getting around it and getting in and out? Are you less able to do chores, such as mowing the lawn, shoveling snow and repairing things?

Do you instead need the convenience of an apartment, a condominium or even an assisted-living accommodation? As seniors we should be considering these things and doing something about them before it is too late.

If we are married, we must consider the convenience of our spouse. Is a low-slung, sporty car difficult to get into and out of? Does one of you have difficulty going up and down stairs? Are there repair or maintenance jobs that are becoming too difficult for us to do? Is it too costly for us to hire people to help us with household tasks and lawn work?

What happens if one of you becomes handicapped or passes away? Is the remaining spouse able to pay bills and handle other financial matters? Is he or she able to mow the lawn, do laundry, drive the car, and repair things that are necessary to getting along?

Have you made plans for this eventuality? Are your adult children aware of your likely or possible future needs? Do they fully know about your financial situation, health, changes in medical condition, ability to get around, etc.?

Don’t let the emotional aspects of discussing and planning for the future get you down. We all have changes as we age. It is better to recognize them and make plans to deal with them. It is much easier to carry on with life if you are ready for whatever awaits you and are fully prepared.

It is always good to have a “Plan B” ready when “Plan A” becomes untenable or out of date.

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