Creating a Bucket List: Tips for Seniors and Family Caregivers
The Bucket List, a 2007 movie starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, helped contemporize the old expression “kick the bucket,” a common slang phrase for dying. Now, people of all ages often use the term “bucket list” lightheartedly to refer to what they’d like to accomplish, either in the short term before an important life event or on the much larger scale of their whole lifetime.
Family caregivers and their loved ones are on the more serious end of this spectrum. As age and/or illness progress, families often develop a vision for how they would like to spend the time that they have left together. Seniors may wish to travel, reunite with family or friends, give back to their communities and loved ones, experience new things or simply enjoy the familiar comforts of home. Each person’s desires are entirely unique. Family caregivers can help aging loved ones accomplish a few items on their bucket lists and, in turn, share precious time and make new memories together.
Medical, Legal, and Financial Planning Should Top the To-Do List
My first suggestions may sound rather bleak, but these steps are necessary to pave the way for pursuing other, more enjoyable goals with fewer speed bumps. Working together to create a comprehensive medical, legal, and financial plan for a senior’s future will help ensure all their most basic needs will be met and allow you to both to focus solely on maintaining their health and quality of life.
Legal preparations typically include drafting a will, naming a medical and financial power of attorney (POA), preparing a living will (also known as an advance healthcare directive), and setting up a trust in some cases. Financial planning should include a careful assessment of all assets and income, benefits counseling (and applications if necessary), and development of strategies for covering potential long-term care costs.
Any medical planning will depend on your loved one’s current and anticipated health status. For example, a senior who is terminally ill and receiving hospice care probably doesn’t need to look into long-term care options. However, younger seniors and those with less advanced chronic conditions who are still living in the community may benefit from touring assisted living communities, nursing homes or even memory care units before they’re needed. This will allow them to participate more in future decisions regarding their care even if they may not be able to down the road.
Other important topics to discuss include respite care and end-of-life care. This is the time for you both to explore and express your feelings about this journey you are on together and…
Helpful Tools:
Stay connected with Memoryboard: Designed by caregivers. Memoryboard helps families share reminders, messages, updates, and photos on an easy-to-use screen designed for people with dementia. Peace of mind for families, independence for loved ones.
Leslie Kernisan, MD, MPH, has opened up support! View two free caregiving webinars that can help you help your older parents (and yourself).
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