Organizing Now for the Future

If something happened to you today, would your loved ones know how to handle your affairs in the manner you desire?

Before you ask what this has to do with organizing, let me explain. I work with Professional Geriatric Care Managers serving clients from all walks of life, but have to admit I enjoy working with the elderly the most. They are people who spent a lifetime working, saving, raising families and had rich experiences to share. 

However, we all know that aging can also bring challenges that may range from the inability to handle normal physical activities, to having trouble getting your bills paid and your checkbook balanced. This can be frustrating for the individual as well as their loved ones, but it doesn’t have to be the crisis it often becomes. I have found that by organizing and summarizing important information, planning for potential future needs, and then sharing all of this with others, I save my clients time, stress and money.

Let me give you two scenarios that will help illustrate my point.

Scenario #1

Delores and Jim were married for 50 years when Jim passed away. They did not have children but did have several nieces and nephews that they rarely saw. Not only was Delores grief stricken when Jim died, she was also in a state of panic. Jim had always taken care of their financial and personal affairs and had not shared this information with Delores. He thought he was doing her a favor, but he wasn’t. Not only did Delores have to search and piece together details and documents, she discovered there were some things that were not in place because of lack of planning. Unfortunately, her nieces and nephews were unable to help and Delores had to spend time dealing with issues when she should have been taking the time to grieve and get support from others.

Scenario #2

Ted was only 65 when his wife, Marge, passed away. They had three children who remained close but lived in other states. Ted and Marge had both taken care of their parent’s affairs, before and after they died, and did not want their children to experience the same difficulties. They became pro-active and decided to have their affairs in order and to let their children know this information as well as their wishes and concerns. 

The benefit of looking at these areas while you are competent and healthy is that not only can you see what you need to have in place, such as a will, power of attorney and long-term care insurance, when you actually take care of these gaps, there is a peace of mind for all involved.

Again, if something happened to you today would your loved ones know how to handle your affairs in the manner you desire?