Who will take care of me when I'm old? : plan now to safeguard your health and happiness in old age

Everything you need to know to plan for your own safe, financially secure, healthy, and happy old age For those who have no support system in place, the thought of aging without help can be a frightening, isolating prospect. Whether you have friends and family ready and able to help you or not, growing old does not have to be an inevitable decline into helplessness. It is possible to maintain a good quality of life in your later years, but having a plan is essential. Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old? equips readers with everything they need to prepare on their own: Advice on the tough medical, financial, and housing decisions to come Real solutions to create a support network Questions about aging solo readers don't know to ask Customizable worksheets and checklists that help keep plans on course Guidance on new products, services, technology, and resources Who Will Take Care of Me When I'm Old ? goes way beyond estate planning to help readers prepare for all the changes in store. Readers are empowered to make proactive plans for their own lives rather than entrusting decisions to family and community. Title Page Copyright Dedication Get Real Don’t Read This Book. Work It. Part One Personal Readiness 1 Meet Your Future Self Discovering who you have yet to become 2 Good-bye Change, Hello Transition Meeting the unknowns of old age head on 3 Think Like a Strategist Mastering critical thinking 4 You Are Tougher Than You Look Thriving in times of uncertainty 5 The Fierce Urgency of Money Staying afloat financially Part Two Where You Live Matters 6 Aging in Place Alone—What You Need to Know Averting the risks of aging home alone 7 Bring Livability Home Establishing equity, health, and safety for all 8 Moving On Determining optimal housing options Part Three Ties That Bind And Unwind 9 The Broken Hearts Club Accepting relationships as moving targets 10 Zero Isolation Foraging for family 11 Love Is Love: Pets Are Family, Too Adopting a pet for two-way love and caring Part Four Safety Nets 12 Doctor Me Reframing sickness and health 13 Chronic Illness: The Game Changer Repairing holes in your safety net 14 Early-Onset Alzheimer’s: The Value of Knowing Preparing for the day you hope will never come Part Five No Tomorrow 15 “Just Shoot Me” Is Not a Plan Learning lessons from the dying 16 Places to Go and Things to Do Facing to be and not to be Cross It Off Your List About the Author Also by Joy Loverde Worksheets and Checklists Websites Recommended Reading Recommended Movies Recommended YouTube Recommended Television Shows Recommended Songs Recommended TED Talks Gratitudes Notes Index Part one. Personal readiness Meet your future self: discovering who you have yet to become Good-bye change, hello transition: meeting the unknowns of old age head on Think like a strategist: mastering critical thinking You are tougher than you look: thriving in times of uncertainty The fierce urgency of money: staying afloat financially Part two. Where you live matters Aging in place alone what you need to know: averting the risks of aging home alone Bring livability home: establishing equity, health, and safety for all Moving on: determining optimal housing options Part three. Ties that bind The broken hearts club: accepting relationships as moving targets Zero isolation: foraging for family Love is love: pets are family, too: adopting a pet for two-way love and caring Part four. Safety nets Doctor me: reframing sickness and health Chronic illness: the game changer: repairing holes in your safety net Early-onset Alzheimer's: the value of knowing: preparing for the day you hope will never come Part five. No tomorrow "Just shoot me" is not a plan: learning lessons from aging Places to go and things to do: facing to be and not to be Cross it off your list. Many people prepare for everything in life-- except how to handle the challenges of its later years. Loverde shows you how to be your own best caregiver, with practical advice for navigating these years on your own, even you have family ready to assist. She starts with a basic plan, and helps you make checklists, worksheets, strategies, and resource lists that will answer the important questions you may face in years to come.