Why end-of-life planning is so important

We'd like to share some excerpts of letters that Terry has received over the years from people who have bought her workbook...their stories might be your story, too.

"My sister and I are caring for our 89-year-old mother who's losing her memory, and we need to know what affairs to get in order. What a blessing to have a real check-list, instead of just floundering around from one crisis to another!"

"My middle-aged children, who think they will live forever, especially need your book. Several of them will fall in line to settle estates and perhaps with your book we'll see some things we've missed."

"I know I have waited too long to take care of these important matters and I feel your book will be a great place to start catching up. I have taken care of several issues, but need to be more diligent in tucking in the loose ends. My husband passed away very unexpectedly twenty years ago, and I found out too late that we had failed to cover all the matters. I don't want my children to be faced with this dilemma when I pass on."

"I lost my 42-year-old son three years ago and the things I went through will forever be in my mind. He had no will and lots of debt with his business. Fortunately I got referred to a good estate attorney who helped me take care of everything, so that I know in my heart that he didn't owe anything to anyone...which was what I needed to do for my son's memory."

"People must prepare. Our own tragedy is that our adult son thought he was too young at 43 to make a will and share all the financial details with his wife. When he was killed in an accident, she was left without a clue and could not find all the documents needed to be secure. Since he was a computer wizard, everything was kept there, but he didn't leave a trail of passwords so a lot of information is lost."

Making a splash!

www.poolandspa.com

Every day I try to make a splash. Not in the conventional way you might think. I do not go on stage and sing Broadway songs. I do not usually cook a fantastic gourmet meal for dinner. I do not dress in evening attire and greet my husband at the door.

Nope. Not me.

I go to the pool. All winter long to an outside pool. It is cold in the air but the pool is 82 degrees. Sometimes I go to water aerobic classes and sometimes I go to swim laps.The water classes are lots of fun with dancing, music and many friends.They last an hour and by the time we are done I am feeling pretty peppy. For an old gal.

I find the whole thing relaxing and it sure does help me move my joints. Even the artificial ones!

What kind of exercise do you do for yourself?

Do you allow yourself to start over each day?

My husband Jeff, in front of some people who inspire him

After watching the Inauguration of President Obama today, it occurred to me that we, as individuals, are always "starting over." I don't know about you, but when it comes to the New Year I have a feeling of freshness and a skip in my step.

I will go to the gym almost every day (although not today because I have laundry to do); I will make sure that I remember everyone's birthday (thank goodness Facebook is there to remind me of many); I will challenge myself to make all the exciting and new ideas that I have envisioned come true.

I do not know how I plan to accomplish any or all of the above. I do know that I feel the renewed sense of mission and will somehow find the will to do my best to succeed.

My children are independent and doing just fine. My grandchildren are flourishing and happy with their lives. My husband is retired and deserves to refresh and renew his interests as much as I do. We travel to places near and far and we enjoy the trips and the time we spend together.

We started as a married couple 45-1/2 years ago. Every day we got to start anew. Each day brought different thoughts and ideas to my mind and I tried to give them my energy and attention. It is not always possible, but I tried.

So today I am starting over again. Now I look to new and inspiring stories to guide me on my way. I think I can do this. How about you?

Getting it all together for 2013

Every year, our grandchildren come over for New Year's Eve. We have done some crazy things like letting them eat pizza in the bathtub! Here they are making something good to eat.  I love looking back at these pictures and realizing how much the children have grown. It also makes me realize how much I want to make sure that everything is there for them when they need it.

I offer this idea as the best resolution you can make for 2013—get all of your vital information together in one place. Get organized. Write everything down. Give one to each of your parents. Let our terrific book, Caring Is Not Enough, A Workbook for Emergency and End-of-Life Planning be your personal guide. It makes it all so simple. And practical. And inexpensive. And right.

Your parents will love you for it. Your children and grandchildren will love you for it. Your spouse will love you for it. And you? You will love yourself for making this one great resolution that you can really keep.

For once.

Top ten gift ideas for senior citizens

Got some last-minute shopping to do? I thought I'd share excerpts from this 2006 article from Anna Swan - these are still great ideas for 2012!

Also - I recommend Gold Violin to shop for seniors all year 'round. They have great products for independent living.

1.  Medical emergency notification system - For an elderly loved one who lives alone or in an isolated location, Life Alert, MedScope, or LifeLine is not only a wonderful gift - it could save a life! In some cases the cost my be completely covered by Medicare.

2.  Large-button cell phone - These large button cells such as the Jitterbug, make calling easier for the senior citizen, with a lighted display, large buttons, speed dialing, caller ID on a large visual display, and all the functions of a standard cell phone.

3.  Pre-paid pet exercising services - These services are especially appreciated during winter months and the heat of the summer when walking a pet may be dangerous for senior citizens.

4.  In-home hair appointment - Check with local barbers and hair dressers to see who will do in-home hair grooming for the elderly. You can pre-pay for the service and arrange the in-home appointment.

5.  Pre-paid lawn mowing - Call a local landscaper or lawn care professional and pre-pay for a season of general lawn care. This is also a service that is greatly appreciated in extremely hot summer months!

6.  Large-faced electric wall clock - As we age, our eye sight sometimes diminishes. Digital clocks can be confusing and hard to set. An electric clock has no battery to replace, and is easy to see from some distance.

7.  Flashing light doorbell or telephone - Designed primarily for the hearing-impaired, these devices can also benefit an elderly loved one who may not always hear the doorbell or the telephone ring.

8.  Large-button universal TV remote - As electronics strive to become smaller and smaller, they get increasingly harder for the elderly to use.

9.  Lap table - These tables (like the ones for laptop users) can be very handy for the elderly to eat meals on, keep track of things such as the cordless telephone, TV remote, and eye glasses.

10.  Zippered clothing with large zipper pulls - As we age, buttons and snaps may become increasingly harder to open and close. You can find large zipper pulls in the sewing section of most large craft or department stores.

Seniors and prescription medications

Here is a very, very important article from Mark Stibich, Ph.D.

Seniors take a lot of medications, and those medications, if not closely monitored, can interact and cause problems...big problems. In fact, around 4% of seniors are in danger of harmful drug interactions.

Let’s look more in-depth at seniors, medications and potential problems (and give some ideas about how to protect yourself).

How much medication are seniors taking? Lots. Almost all seniors (defined in the study below as anyone over the age of 57) take some kind of medication. To be more precise, 91% of seniors take some kind of medication regularly (81% of seniors take a prescription medication regularly). But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Click here to finish reading this very important piece.

Are your parents taking lots of medications? Do you think they take them as directed? Do you think they skip some now and then, due to the cost?

The Celtic Tree of Life

When I think of the Tree of Life, I think about family. I think about the fact that my husband’s family tree has been traced back to the mid-seventeenth century, and in some instances even beyond that.

I think about the fact that every two years there is a family reunion for his family and more than 100 people attend from all over the world. Then I think about the fact that my grandfather had 11 brothers and sisters and I have no further information about the family.

Family is so important.

The idea of the Tree of Life and the connection to the circle of life as a spiritual symbol as well as a physical one, resonates deeply with me.

I am Irish and have therefore chosen the Celtic Tree of Life as a symbol for my work. It gives me the feeling of bringing families together, something I have tried to do with my workbook. I hope you feel the same when you choose to give your family the best gift you can…peace of mind.

What's your favorite symbol or icon? Leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!