Choosing to stay close to family and friends

Responsible and trustworthy

If you have decided to stay close to family and or friends that is a good choice to make especially if they are responsible and trustworthy. If you live in area where the weather is often times harder on older people such as in very cold climates they can assist you with such task as shoveling the snow, checking the furnace each year and driving you around to do your daily errands. They can also help you make preparations during a thunderstorm warning or other emergencies. It might be good to sit down with them beforehand to take inventory of what you have on hand for these emergencies and to keep a stock of additional items you may need. However, the main advantage of living close to responsible relatives is that they can come and get you and take you with them until the emergency is over.

Communicate with your family

You should speak with your family member or close friend to let them know that they are (one of the ones) you will look to for help as you get older in years. You should speak with your children and let them know who is the person(s) you would like to take the lead in caring for you as you get older as long as the person has the circumstances to fulfill that role. This should be put in writing and notarized after seeking legal advice.

At times, this is more important than having a written will because you can live a long time in a sickly state and be forced to live with someone who is irresponsible, someone who eats and drinks up your money while providing little to no care for you.

So the person(s) that become your legal guarding if something happens to you is the most important person in your life. There is a saying (quem paga manda) that literally means "the one that pays is the boss". That means that the person that is power of attorney over you will likely control what type of care you will receive if you fall sick and it has been determined by a doctor that you can know longer make decisions on your own. This person does not necessarily have to be the one to care for you but they can make sure that the other family members, healthcare providers or friends that may be involved in your care, do their job!

Beware

You will also want to look at your family to see if there is anyone who will not treat you right intentionally or unintentionally as you get older.. At times, you may have had to put up with someone around you out of kindness but this person does not have your best interest at heart. Ask yourself:

If I am still around this person as I get older and I lose my ability to stand up for myself, will they treat me kindly?

If the answer is no.

What safeguards have you put in place to keep this person away from you as you get older if you have chosen to stay?

On the other hand, we could have a sort of misplaced love for a person that has serious problems with substance abuse, overindulgence of alcohol or another type of addiction. This person is someone who loves you but can not control themselves so you could say they are a person that will abuse you unintentionally from your point of view. That is why having a physical security plan whether we choose to stay or move away is so important. Click the next the button below Physical Security Plan to see some of your options.