Plan to succeed, or prepare to fail. This simple, yet quite complex idea could most certainly be applied to every single aspect and adventure in life. Clearly, being prepared for anything in advance, would allow you to adapt to many different situations more easily. This leads me to wonder about tomorrow, 10 years from now, and even 40 years from now. What will those days be like? If I plan to succeed today, then tomorrow, 10 years, and 40 years from now should be a lot easier, right?
What happens if I get hurt and require life-long rehabilitation? What happens if I become intensely or fatally ill? What happens if as I age, I am unable to care for myself? In all of these situations, I would need care. If I would like a nest egg to sit on, I should start preparing now. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to start preparing for our future today. While I was employed, I was extremely interested in how much to save, and what percentage of my income to invest. Considering that I am still under thirty years old, I was advised to invest in high risk packages that the company that managed our 401K’s provided. I was also advised to save 10% of my income, and I would probably never miss it. So, if I follow these guidelines for x-amount of years, I should be prepared for the future right? I would like to think yes, but that would only be in financial preparation of retirement.
While preparing for retirement is important, what if I require long-term care? What do I need to know be able to make wiser decisions involving my future if my road is not so smoothly paved, as I would like? With this course, I am becoming more and more educated on the different types of long-term care facilities and services offered at each. This is important to me because sadly, most people do not know the difference between a nursing home and an adult day care center. Throughout this semester (and the rest of my life), I will also develop opinions about what I feel is important in long-term care. I believe it is very important to discuss these matters with family and loved-ones. People that truly care about you want to make you as comfortable as possible, so talk about it. Also, familiarize yourself with what financial options are available to you though private or public insurance, and stay up-to-date on the rules and regulations of Medicare and Medicaid. By following these steps, this will allow you to make educated decisions, for yourself and others in the future.
“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.” – Thomas A. Edison
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