The ideal time to begin talking about housing and seniors care needs is before the need presents itself. The baby-boomer generation is predicted to be one of the most active groups of older Americans. Family members of seniors, recent retirees and baby boomers should be proactive. Become familiar with the risks and specific issues of senior long term care. Then educate yourself on the available resources in your community for seniors care. Some of the local resources for information on resources for seniors include geriatric care managers, occupational therapists, architects, remodeling contractors, home health care companies, insurance companies, reverse mortgage lenders, elder law attorneys, and local public and non-profit organization.

The National Aging in Place Counsel (NAIPC) has announced October 12-18, 2009 National Aging in Place Week. The two main objectives of this week of awareness are to build lasting coalitions of business professionals across the United States to assist homeowners with long term care needs, and to organize educational  activities to highlight transportation and housing that enable seniors to successfully age in place. This awareness week is an opportunity for senior care professionals to educate and it is also an opportunity to seniors as well as baby boomers to familiarize themselves with available senior assistance options.

• I’d try to make more mistakes next time.
• I would relax, I would limber up.
• I would be crazier that I’ve been this trip.
• I know very few things I’d take seriously anymore.
• I would take more chances, I would take more trips.
• I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers.
• And I would watch more sunsets.
• I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans.
• I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see… I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I’ve had my moments, and if I had to do it all over again, I’d have many more of them. In fact, I’d try not to have anything else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day. I’ve been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do all over again, I’d travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall. And I would ride more merry-go-rounds, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people, and pick more flowers, and dance more often….. If I had it to do all over again, But you see, I don’t.

From the Journal of Humanistic Psychology.
By an 82-year-old man dying and accepting death.