Professionals in geriatrics and gerontology define "elderly" and "advanced age" as 65 and older and those with chronic needs.

It's hard to believe I'm almost elderly?!?

The fact that there are professional specialties and new Ai tools, websites, apps and software programs focusing on this enormous age group should indicate to us younger than 60 to prepare for those days ahead of us.

There are people and tools available to help as we age, and we should never be embarrassed to ask for help when we need it.

Here are several helpful links you can use:

America Association for LTC Insurance https://www.aaltci.org/

Phyllis Shelton's LTC website full of valuable info https://gotltci.com/

Certification for LTC https://www.ltc-cltc.com/

Elder Law Answers about law and Medicaid https://www.elderlawanswers.com/

Help and guidance for caregivers https://www.elderlawanswers.com/

Help filing LTC claims https://www.amadaseniorcare.com/

Alzheimer's Association https://www.alz.org/

National Council on Aging https://www.ncoa.org/

Companion Robot for seniors https://elliq.com/

View current and projected costs of care where you live https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

Schedule a phone or zoom meeting to start designing your plan today https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

A client with whom I've maintained a relationship for over a decade was almost talked into buying a new LTC plan earlier this year.

I'm glad she called me to ask for help! I researched her risk and offered a very similar plan with significantly lower rates.

Research is the key to finding the best plans for your family.

When you are offered a quote for LTC insurance, ask the person quoting you how many companies they represent and how many LTC applications they submit on average each year.

LTC planning is too important to leave to amatures!

View current and projected costs of care where you live and where you plan to retire at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

Then schedule a phone or zoom meeting to start designing your plan here

Don't let your 50 year old kids regret not having planned for future extended care needs when they first thought of it.

A first question I ask when meeting with someone is "What made you decide to look into LTC planning now?"

Far too many reply with some form of having thought about this years ago, but for whatever reason they came up with, they decided to wait. Now, the plans we're considering cost a lot more at 70 than they did at 50. Or maybe they can't health qualify for the plan they want.

You must encourage your 40, 50 and 60 year old children to plan now, while they can be approved by more companies, and while the rates are manageable.

This week, we share a client who is buying a plan for her daughter because the family knows the value of LTC insurance after seeing the husband/dad's LTC plan pay over $200,000 over 24 months, protecting the famly's wealth and emotional well-being.

Two clarifications -

1) Audrey did not keep $46,000 of the RMD because she did have to pay taxes on the withdrawal.

2) Lindsey's plan's benefits wil increase by 3% annually. She doesn't have to wait until the 10th payment to see increases.

Schedule with Diane to design your plan here

View current and projected costs of care (use 5% inflation) where you live at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

This week, I'm sharing a story of what happened when I was walking my dog on Saturday.

This can happen to anyone. We don't have to be old or sick to have an accident.

So many people wait to buy LTC insurance because it's for old people, but 1/3 of people receiving care today are under age 65.

And we need to be healthy enough to qualify for coverage. If we wait until after an accident, or a diagnosis, or a medicine that insurance companies won't accept, our options narrow or disappear.

Also, we need to encourage our older family members to not be afraid to tell on themseloves when they fall.

Even after a big event that causes us to need help living through our days, owning LTC insurance increases the probability that we can stay home to get the help we need.

View both current and projected costs of care where you live here

Then schedule with me to start designing your plan here

According to an AARP report, the Department of Health and Human Services reported a 48% increase in cost for home care and assisted living from 2019-2024, while median household income for families 65 and older rose only 22%.

That's an average 8% annual increase!

And people doubt when we use 5% annual increases to project future needs....

View a summary of the report here

See what current and projected cost of care where you live at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

Then schedule with me to learn how you can protect your family, assets and choices here

This week, I received a very disturbing call, and this was soon after I met a man whose job is to protect people (mostly seniors) from scams.

I'm so glad that a woman reached out to me for guidance before spending over half of her mom's little bit of savings she needed for her care.

Listen and learn, then schedule time with me to prepare for your tomorrow.

When we're prepared, we're less likely to be tricked.

The 2025 Cost of Care report is available so you can see both 2025 costs and projected costs of care where you live. Check it out here

BTW, home care costs increased by 13% across the country last year.

Prepare today by scheduling a phone or Zoom meeting with me here

We need to believe that we're going to get through these world events that are being thrown at us every day.

We have to believe that we're going to live a long life. When we live a long life, we get old, and when we get old we need help.

The massage today is short, and I hope it encourages each of you to continue planning to protect those you care about most.

The new 2025 Cost of Care updates were released thjis week and you can see current nd projectewd costs where you live here

We're seeing a 13% increase in home care costs across the country. If we want o stay home when we need help getting through our days, we need to plan now to be able to do that.

Schedule a phone or Zoom meeting with me to get started here

Just like when we go to an all-you-can-eat buffet, our eyes are bigger than our stomach.

With LTC protection, bigger than our budget.

We want the best policy that will pay for everything we need for as long as we need care, but our income and savings say we can afford something with less coverage.

Or we apply as a couple and one is declined for health.

Does this mean we don't get any coverage at all?

No! It means we get as much as we can afford for the duration of premiums.

If half of our expenses are paid for with insurance, that's using our own assets and income to pay the other half rather than paying for all of our needs ourselves.

Our family will be thankful for anything we do to help them help us better.

View 2024 and projected costs of care where you live here

Please use a 4% or 5% increase in costs when looking in the future years as that's how costs have increased over the last three decades.

Learn what your state let's you keep to qualify for Medicaid here

Schedule a phone or zoom meeting to start designing your plan here