Don’t Wait Too Late to Plan

Wellness isn’t just about your health NOW – it’s about investing in your own future. And it’s not always about what you eat or how much you move, either – wellness is about peace of mind. I’m Wendy Corr, and in this series about aging, I’m going to bring to you different perspectives on how you can be prepared to age well.
Saving for college; paying a mortgage; investing in a retirement account.
These are all items that involve planning for the future, and most of us understand why these discussions are important. But when it comes to unexpected health concerns, most families don’t have a plan until there is a problem.
Park County Public Health Nursing Supervisor Bill Crampton says that in his interactions with families, he’s run across many situations in which a person was caught off guard by health issues, and found that the family members are at a loss as to how to proceed.

Crampton says that questions by family members in these situations include who has the authority to make final decisions, and what may have been written down by the ill family member as to their wishes. He points out the importance of starting those conversations before a crisis occurs.

Crampton says that there are resources in the area to help people plan for unexpected health complications, and suggests either going to a lawyer to make a will and a living will, or going online to find templates for those documents. He also says there are resources available on the web that can help a family structure those difficult discussions. This is a good resource to begin the conversation – http://www.thescanfoundation.org/10-conversations-plan-aging-dignity-and-independence
Thanks for tuning in to Wellness with Wendy! I love sharing tips and tricks to help you live your best life – so for more health and wellness news and advice, follow my blog on mybighornbasin.com. See you again next time for Wellness with Wendy!