Several years ago, my father passed away and although I knew he was getting older I did not think I was going to lose him so sudden. The hurt and devastation is still there and it seems just like yesterday. Going from having two parents to just one has been a big transition. Not only for us children but more moreso for my mom.

I currently live in a different state from my mom , which means I do not get to see her very often, so we are very thankful for technology, and make regular use of Skype, phone calls, emails, and texting to share pictures, fun events, and scenes of every day life. Having the long distance between us makes us treasure the times we do get to see each other in person even more deeply.

Planning For Long Term Care

Sitting down and talking about the future for my parents as they got older was not something we really discussed. We knew they were getting older but never really had that talk. I guess we all wished we would have more time. Now that dad is gone, it is a conversation we really should have with mom. All of my siblings are adults now. Some of us live and work in different states, and some of us are married with families of our own. Retirement plans are becoming reality for my mom as she transitions into a new season of her life. With all of these changes happening, some more smoothly than others, one idea comes to the forefront and strikes us as more and more unmistakeable: Life is uncertain! Sometimes, things can change quite quickly. This article in the New York Times discusses the unpredictable and fragile nature of life, as well as the challenging combination of expense and emotions that is involved in long term care. You really never know what the future may bring.

Health that seems good today can decline rapidly tomorrow. With this in mind, I believe that it is a very good idea for there to be a plan in place that includes financial coverage to provide for long term care for parents as they age. Having these things in order ahead of time will bring a lot of peace of mind to parents as they age, as well as to us, their adult children. Genworth, a trusted provider of mortgage, life, annuity, and long term care insurance is a great resource when it comes to figuring out a good plan for the future of our parents. I found their articles very helpful as I thought about my what my mom will need, what her future care could cost, and what specific things I need to discuss with her.

I am so grateful for my parents, and all that they have done for me and taught me. I wish my dad was still here to see his grandkids grow and that I could tell him I love him once more. It saddens me still because I was looking forward to caring for both him and my mom in their older years. I am blessed however to still have my mom and my hope is that she will live a long, healthy life, enjoying the next stage in her life. Having a good financial plan in place for their long term care gives us all so much more peace of mind as we meet the future together.

Have you and your parents discussed their future care? What kind of plans did you make with them?

This post was inspired by Genworth Financial. All opinions are 100% my own (always). For more information about caregiving, visit the Genworth Financial website.