Once you’ve taken care of trusts, wills, power-of-attorneys, and other end of life issues, you can focus more on “living.” Focusing on “end-of-life issues” is necessary, but you are not alone if you find the whole thing oddly depressing.
The best way to move head is to stop thinking about being “old,” especially if you feel old because you think it is expected of you. Billy Jean King just went back to school to finish working on her college degree, I’m not thinking that she is feeling “old.”
How old do you think you would feel if you didn’t know how old you were? Forget about “senior moments.” Forgetful moments have hovered since the day you forgot your lunch in the first grade. You didn’t worry about it then, and you shouldn’t worry about it now, unless you try to burn the house down every time you cook something. If you are going to forget about something, make it something big, like your birthday.
You will get older, but it isn’t going to happen overnight. Try not to overthink everything. Focus on today and focus on yourself. Nobody dreams about ending up in a nursing home.
Start your quest by answering a few questions:
- Where are you going to live? Are you planning on remodeling, moving in with a family member, moving into a senior living apartment, a retirement community or staying put? Your independence is not determined by where you live but how you live.
- How is your health? I mean really. Are you already living with one or more chronic conditions? If the answer is yes, the rest of your answers will center on how well you are managing them.
- Do you need help with activities of daily living or with home maintenance?
- Do you feel that you have a reason to get up every morning?
- Do you see your health care team regularly and really listen to their recommendations? No denials, no stubborn refusals, and no refusing to change.
These questions might seem innocuous but put some thought into them. Too many people fail because they refuse to do the homework.
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