The Rewards of Planning

Aging is a process of change occurring throughout our lives. Many people find their older years a time of great freedom –freedom from raising children, from daily, full-time work, and from chores and responsibilities they faced when younger.

Think about events you always look forward to and enjoy planning. Maybe it’s an annual holiday, selecting gifts for family and friends, or preparing for a vacation. Planning for these takes some thought and effort, but is also very rewarding. Planning for your older years can be just as rewarding.

Choices and decisions you make today about your housing, transportation or other areas, will help you avoid making difficult decisions in the future, when it may be a time of crisis with fewer options.

It's Never too Late to Plan

Many people wish they had started planning earlier. Some say they waited too long to move out of the family home; others wish they had developed healthy habits and lifestyles earlier. Some wish that they had stayed in touch with old friends; others, that they had saved more money when they were younger. But if you start planning now, you will know that you’ve done your best today to look after yourself tomorrow and that you have some tools to help you adapt to a changing future.

Why Plan?

Being prepared and having plans in place helps you to:

• make the most of later life
• maintain health and independence
• have greater control over your decisions
• have a satisfying and positive retirement
• reduce or avoid costs for health care and other services.

How do you envision your future self?

Are there changes you can make now to have the best life later?

“Chance favours the prepared mind” - Louis Pasteur