Planning for Your Final Years

(NewsUSA) - When it comes to the final years of life, communication and planning are the keys to ensuring that your life song hits the right note. A new survey conducted by Home Instead Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, found that 85 percent of surveyed seniors who have made plans for their final years agree that planning is a chance to decide how their life's story ends.

Planning ahead and involving adult children in the discussion can help guide important decisions and bring families closer together, while also reducing stress.

The following tips can help with starting a plan for the final years:

1. Consider personality and preferences. Where do you or your loved one want to spend your final years, months or days? If aging at home is the goal, there are many options for home care, including support offered by Home Instead Senior Care.

2. Communicate with loved ones. It may be a difficult conversation to have, but it's crucial. The Conversation Project (https://theconversationproject.org) offers tips for discussing end-of-life wishes.

3. Identify people who can help plan. Developing relationships with financial planners, home care companies and funeral homes early on can give seniors and their loved ones peace of mind.

4. Put finances in order. Meeting with a financial planner gives seniors and their loved ones the opportunity to prepare financially for the cost of care, funerals and other needs they will have. Genworth (https://www.genworth.com) provides resources for long-term care and life insurance.

5. Complete a personal planning guide. There are resources available to help you in the planning process. For example, Dignity Memorial offers a personal funeral planning guide. You can go to www.thedignityplanner.com for more information.

6. Create a bucket list. It's never too late to follow your dreams. Plan a few fun goals to ensure that you achieve the things in life that matter most to you.

Home Instead has compiled free resources to aid in planning the final years. The site includes a music generator to help seniors and families think about what steps to take to be better prepared for this journey.

To get started on your plan, visit www.ComposeYourLifeSong.com