Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 25, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 5 loved one time to process options and clearly state their goals and desires. Waiting until a health issue forces the conversation can lead to high-stress, poor decisions and hurt feelings.And there is a lot of planning that people can do for themselves. Lindstrom recommends people in their 50s consider long-term care insur- ance, for starters. Many people assume health insurance will pay for home care or assisted living, but it usually doesn't. In either case, care usually costs thou- sands of dollars per month, Lindstrom said. "People might not be crazy about paying for it, but more and more people are trying to do it," Lindstrom said, of the monthly premiums. 2. Be sensitive Irene Hernandez, program director of Active Life Adult Day Health Center in Fitchburg, takes an engaged approach with the elders she works with. Hernan- dez said many aging people are guarded, thinking if they start the conversation about the future, they're inviting death. "I know at their age, they're feeling vulnerable," she said. "I try to talk to them just to support them in thinking about it, because they won't," Hernandez said. She recom- mends asking an aging loved one "What do you want?" 3. Be prepared Familiarize yourself with options that are in your area. Before you begin a dis- cussion with loved ones concerning care options, know what options are avail- able. Each choice has pros and cons, and it is best to have a full understanding of the good and the bad before you begin talking to your loved one. Lindstrom recommends people connect with their local elder services agency for a list of resources. 4. Listen Your idea of the best long-term care option might not be the same as that of your loved one. Genuinely work to understand their point of view and why they might prefer staying at home or why they view a community as their best option. 5. Communicate Involve family members in the conversation, and don't wait until diseases of aging have already arrived. Heather Dobbert, clinical integration behavioral health case manager for Worcester-based insurance plan Fallon Health, said. It's important for people to start talking about their care prefer- ences early. She recommends everyone in their 60s should be having these conversations proactively, ensuring that their spouse and children – or other close family members – are all on the same page. "e biggest gi you can give your family is the gi of communication. ere's really no greater gi," Dobbert said. Sources: Alzheimer's Association; AARP; e Conversation Project Care is more than health care—it's care for those who need us most. Those with complex conditions, those looking after a loved one, and those with Medicaid and Medicare. That's the kind of care we believe in. Fallon Health. Care and coverage that goes further. care. It's what we believe in. Staff and clients at the Active Life Adult Day Health in Fitchburg W PHOTO | COURTESY OF ACTIVE LIFE ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER

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