Aging is an achievement. But a lot of people in their 50s, 60, and even their 70s often aren't thinking about what's going to happen with their health in the future. Tina Hall from Era Living joins Suzanne to talk about preparing for that future.

Tina says, "Even if an individual is not sure if they ever want to move to a senior living community, it is a really good idea to educate yourself on what your options are, and what that whole journey might look like, in the event that at some point in the future, it is something that makes sense in your life."

Eventually, at some point, you'll be starting a new chapter in your life where you're not able to care for yourself independently — it's just a part of aging. A lot of us don't want to think about getting old. We want you to be empowered, and that happens with early planning. Sit down with your family, tell them what your plans are. In this hour, we'll talk about that process, how to make those transitions, how to start having these conversations with your family to get everyone on board. Sometimes it's a challenge.

How do you know when it's time to start the journey? Consider how your life is compared to five years ago. What's the likely progression in the next five or ten years? Think about what you want. If you couldn't take care of yourself, what would you want, and what's realistic, based on your healthcare options, finances, and other factors?

Tina says, "Another big thing to think about is: are you still driving? Are you able to get out and do the things that you used to do, or are you starting to become more isolated? One of the things that people don't realize is a big indicator of your physical health in the future is your emotional and your social health, and that has so much to do with whether or not you are connected and engaged with other people. If you are finding that your world is becoming smaller, because perhaps you live in an area where it's difficult for people to get to you, or you're not driving — and so you're not getting out to church, or you're not easily getting to the grocery store — if your social life has shrunk to a point where you're not seeing people very often, this can be really, really difficult on your health."

Learn more about Tina Hall, and there's more about Era Living at Answers for Elders and eraliving.com.

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