Dreaming Again

I believe the insurance companies in our country and financial services industry (planners, bankers, etc.) are missing the boat when it comes to seniors. Sure, they have retirement products to sell them, or investments they will advise on, but how about the real issue that is missing for a lot of these clients?

Planning, to me, means more than how much money is in your IRA. For some clients, say those who have carried home and auto insurance through the same agent for years, I can visualize a "senior services" representative of that company who works with clients over 65 to insure they have a will and power of attorney in place. Partnering with local attorneys, assisted living facilities, the local medicare office and other professionals, makes the system easier to negotiate and the senior is already your client. They trust you. Starting the conversation on living arrangements and last wishes, and involving the families, is much easier done by someone trusted and known to the senior.

In my dream world, a senior services representative would know when to refer service organizations, such as meals on wheels or home care services, to the client much as a geriatric case worker would. Only it wouldn't cost what it would to pay a case manager. And there's the rub...the reason why banks and insurance agencies and stock brokers don't have a "senior services" type person to guide the clients into making plans for old age. They can't make money from this service. What would they get out of it? In reality, possible continued business and referrals to friends and family. And goodwill...lots of goodwill.

Any business with a large client base of older people could provide a service such as the one I've described. But social workers need not apply! This is not involvement in the client's care. Several larger companies such as duPont Corporation and Fanny Mae have had eldercare advisors in house for years. As the Baby Boomers begin to retire and the percentage of those over 65 increases, it seems to me that proof of social responsibility by our employers must step up to meet the need. Both for the community and their employees! Maybe I'll live long enough to see my "dream" come true.

Wishes Granted

I live in an area with many seniors, both in and out of nursing homes. Many of these aging adults live alone. Perhaps they have no loved ones living or just have no love from those who are.

Whatever the case may be, there is an organization trying to make life better for the deserving elderly by "celebrating seniors and making wishes come true". The Twilight Wish Foundation has chapters across the country and is growing. The foundation grants wishes to seniors through sponsors generous donations of time, money or products. Recent wishes include a piano and sheet music for a nursing home resident, a letter and photo from favorite TV soap stars, and one last visit back home.

846 wishes have been granted in the four years since its organization. That's a pretty good track record, I think. Click on www.twilightwishfoundation.org to see more about it.

Next Dance Retirement Planning

I believe that most of us approaching retirement age think of money first, as in, do we have ENOUGH to retire. According to Bill Bryan of Next Dance, "having enough money is crucial to a comfortable retirement, having a lot of money is not."

Next Dance offers psych testing and coaching for retirement planning. Bryan believes self awareness is indicative of successful retirement. The three factors that most affect how a person adapts and enjoys retirement are attitude toward aging, commitment to society and self awareness. He advises to see yourself clearly, know what motivates you and makes you happy. Go to www.mynextdance.com for more interesting ideas on non-financial retirement planning. (I apologize that the hyperlink is not working this evening)

Memories

My mother seems to spend a lot of time reminiscing about the past. Some of it is self induced, yet at other times, I admit I've asked her to share a story. She loves to talk about her family and their descendants and my father and his history.

We all struggle to know ourselves, and a large part of doing this is in knowing our family's past. Seniors are our most valuable source of untapped resources this country has, and when one shares a story, history comes alive. The smallest things can make interesting stories. Looking at a photograph of my grandmother holding my mother on her lap, I wondered how she felt in that long black dress, buttoned high on her neck with ruffles and long sleeves, the style of dressing in her day. Oh! And laced into a corset all day, everyday! And how did she fix her hair that way? And how did grandpa make money back then? So many questions and my mother is the only one left who can answer them.

There are many ways to go about recording the history of your family. Physically writing down the details as the seniors speak is one way. Using a voice recorder is another, then transcribing the stories. A video recording is a wonderful way to record not only the story but a photo of the family member who is speaking. I can't think of a better gift for the family than to hear about their past through the memories of the seniors in the family. Do it before time runs out. I intend to and I'll let you know how it goes.

The 40-70 Rule

I was happy to see in the Port Clinton News where a national company has started a campaign urging adult children to initiate conversation with their older parents about the "delicate" issues. By delicate, I mean when to stop driving, and money, among others.

Home Instead Senior Care has called its public education campaign the "40-70 Rule". If you are 40 and your parent is 70, it's time to begin the conversation on their wishes as they age. As I wrote in my post Never Too Soon To Plan, this is not always easy. Parents don't always want to discuss sensitive issues with their children. Some may not see their children as adults and that is a big hurdle to get past. On the other hand, many adult children don't want to get involved early and find themselves in crisis mode when they must be involved.

The Home Instead campaign has a "40-70 Rule" guide they will give you for free. According to the arcticle in The Port Clinton News, the guide provides many tips and conversation starters to help break the conversation barrier. You can pick one up at your local Home Instead Senior Care office or call 877.733.5050. You can also visit online at www.4070talk.com.