Planning for the Future

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Websites

American Association for Retired Persons | https://www.aarp.org 

• - Advance Directives https://www.aarp.org/relationships/grief-loss/info-06-2009/never_young_advanced_directive.html 

American Bar Association: Health Care Decision Making | http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/health_care_decision_making.html 

National Council on Aging: Benefits Check Up | https://www.benefitscheckup.org 

Caring.com | https://www.caring.com

Information and support geared towards seniors.

• - Adult day care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/adult-day-care/
• - Assisted living options https://www.caring.com/senior-living/assisted-living/ 
• - Caregiver finances https://www.caring.com/caregivers/finances/ 
• - Continuing care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/continuing-care-retirement-communities/ 
• - Guide to financial power of attorney https://www.caring.com/caregivers/power-of-attorney/ 
• - Guide to moving for seniors https://www.caring.com/caregivers/senior-moving/ 
• - Nursing homes https://www.caring.com/senior-living/nursing-homes/ 
• - Independent living options https://www.caring.com/senior-living/independent-living/
• - In-home care https://www.caring.com/senior-care/in-home-care/ 
• - Memory care https://www.caring.com/senior-living/memory-care-facilities/ 

Five Wishes: Advanced Care Planning for You and Your Loved Ones | https://fivewishes.org/five-wishes/individuals-families/individuals-and-families 

My Life In A Box: A Life Organizer | https://mylifeinabox.com 

National Center of Law and Elder Rights | https://ncler.acl.gov

Formerly the National Legal Resource Center 

National Council on Aging | https://www.ncoa.org 

• - Center for benefits access https://www.ncoa.org/centerforbenefits/ 
• - Economic Security: Benefits for Seniors https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/benefits/ 
• - Home equity https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/home-equity/ 
• - Money Management https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/money-management/ 

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: Patients and Caregivers | https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/ 

National POLST Paradigm | https://polst.org

Encourages patients and their health care professionals to talk about what patients want at the end of life. The patient and his/her health care professional make informed, shared decisions about treatments and complete a POLST form, which is a portable medical order that emergency personnel can follow if the patient has a medical emergency and can't speak for himself/herself.

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives | https://www.nrc-pad.org/ 

A psychiatric advance directive (PAD) is a legal document that documents a person’s preferences for future mental health treatment, and allows the appointment of a health proxy to interpret those preferences during a crisis. PADs are used when a person becomes unable to make decisions during a mental health crisis.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Home equity conversion mortgages for seniors | https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hecm/hecmhome

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Directory of Veterans Service Organizations | https://www.va.gov/vso/ 

Print

Cullen, M., Irving, S. (2018). Shae Irving. Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won’t Have To (Eighth edition). Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

• - Provides a complete system for structuring and organizing your information and documents into a records binder, including helpful content, resources, and step-by-step instructions, as well as downloadable forms.

Kübler-Ross, E. (2014). On Death and Dying. New York: Simon & Schuster.

• - This book explores the five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Through sample interviews and conversations, Kübler-Ross  gives readers a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve that patient, and the patient's family.

Rosen, H. (2015). My Family Record Book: The Easy Way to Organize Personal Information, Financial Plans, and Final Wished for Seniors, Caregivers, Estate Executors, etc. Rosen Books.

• - A complete step-by-step guide to help you keep track of and organize: final wishes and arrangements, computer information and passwords, estate planning documents, employment records, insurance policies, tax records, retirement accounts, government benefits, real estate records, house maintenance and more.

Speicher, J. H. (2019). Before and After: A practical guide for what to do and not to do before and after a loved one dies. Lafayette, CA: Big Hat Press.