Finding The Right Moment To Begin Long-Term Care Planning Discussions

One of the most difficult conversations many of us will have with our parents involves planning their long-term care options. Mary Ebb Law, located in White Bear Lake and serving Roseville and other locations throughout Ramsey County, focuses on helping Minnesota families resolve their elder law issues by means of thorough pre-planning and timely legal advising. Our founding attorney, Mary Ebb, can help you find long-term care solutions that are tailored to your loved one’s unique situation.

Two Possible Paths: “Planning Ahead” Or “The Wake Up Call”

The best case scenario for your long-term care discussion with your parent or other loved one is if he or she brings it up. Another proactive opportunity can arise when your loved one has a small issue they need to resolve — trying to organize their income accounts, for example — and the conversation broadens to include how things might go if someone else had to do this task for them.

In other cases, your loved one may not be ready to contemplate their care and estate/probate options until they receive a challenging health diagnosis. While this may add extra urgency and stress to the conversations, it can be another moment when your loved one has a chance to express their needs before legal and logistical changes are put in motion.

Pointers For Long-Term Care Discussions With Loved Ones

Here are a few tips for starting productive conversations on this topic:

  • Plan for multiple small conversations. Talking about long-term care and the aging process can be overwhelming. Processing it in small chunks often works better.
  • Your loved one’s needs and desires should always drive the process,to the extent that he or she is able to express them.
  • There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your loved one’s asset level, local resources and other individual factors will determine what options might serve them best.
  • Delays in planning can be costly. Long-term planning options that happen after an older adult is no longer competent are much more expensive for a lawyer to create and implement.

Mary Ebb Can Help Guide Your Care Planning Process

You do not have to go it alone when discussing long-term care plans. Call Mary Ebb Law at 651-323-2236 or use our online form to schedule an appointment.