Debra Jager Home Instead Senior Care

Hi there, currently my health is in great shape but having seen a couple of friends' health deteriorate very rapidly last year I thought I had better do some forward planning. Are you able to point me in the right direction of where to start on such a task please?

You are so right, forward planning is about creating a life as you wish it. Too often a crisis precipitates our response to things and we react, as opposed to stepping through the motions in a somewhat prepared state. Planning for health and well-being is as important as planning for retirement.

Health sometimes slips – either for short periods or for on-going long periods. If this happens to you, or if a loved one has this happen, sometimes a little help is all that is needed to get through this period and allow you all to focus on the other things needed to carry on a full life.

My recommendation is to start by talking to you family and friends about what you would like to happen if your health deteriorates for some reason, if that hip operation or eye treatment comes up this year or something more major. In addition, let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages or on the web and find out what is available to you to assist you, should you have a need. For the elderly there are wonderful resources such as Age Concern. The website ‘At Home Care' provides a wealth of resourceful information, as do Citizens Advice and Veterans Affairs. Home Instead can assist you with information, either from our website www.homeinstead.co.nz or by talking to someone in our office. And never forget to talk to your local doctor about the various options and government support that may be available.

I commend you on your forward thinking. It is better to know what is available to you before an event occurs as opposed to after the event occurring. I hope others take a leaf out of your book and start the new year in such a positive light.