Short-term or long-term? Planning is a good thing

Clichés are too easy to use, and too easy to think they contain the whole truth. Take this one: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” The grain of truth in this one can fool us into feeling unneeded guilt about our lives because we don’t always plan well (if at all).

I am a consistent proponent of planning. Many of you know that. Planning is one thread running through most of the Geezer Forums that I host. But no amount of planning is a “perfect” solution to Life! Life happens whether we plan or not.

Doing some planning for our later-life realities can reduce some challenges, to be sure. But the best-laid plans must leave room for the inevitable, unexpected changes that can happen to each of us as we get out of bed every day and live that day as best we can.

Next Tuesday’s Geezer Forum will return to the planning topic we visited in January and February. But this planning focus will be different than the other forums. Our conversation will be led by Nancy Hadley, a certified financial planner. But her topic won’t be about money!

In fact, in a variety of ways she will affirm that “Planning Is About Much More Than Money”! Nancy’s sensitivity to life-planning comes -- in part -- from her positive experiences with her mother in her mother’s last months of life.

I expect her to share some short-term and long-term planning notions that might surprise you if you mentally settle (beforehand) for what you think a financial planner might say! The Geezer Forum convenes next Tuesday, April 26 at the Columbia Bank Community Room, 2:30-4 p.m.

In the meantime, I invite you to explore some ways of short-term planning that I saw last week on an e-newsletter, “Caring Sug-gests”, I receive through www.caring.com. It’s April 14 suggestions:

“How to Grieve: 5 Myths That Hurt”; “What is an Alzheimer’s Cafe?” (a pretty cool idea); 4 Ways Gardening Relieves Caregiver Stress”; “An Overlooked Danger of Living Alone”; How Do I Diffuse Mom’s Anger When I Explain Things to Her?”; 5-minute Pick-me-ups for Caregiver Stress”.

“9 Healthy Grab & Go Breakfasts” (one includes a blender!); “How to Find a Doctor Who Listens -- and Cares”; “Watch Me!” (a short video of 2 80+ women moving to rap music).

Reading through these suggestions certainly tickled my imagination. I wonder if we might consider a few of them as experiments that the Geezer Forum might consider trying. Some are focused, as the titles might suggest to you also, on issues specific families are dealing with.

I will be glad to forward this issue of “Caring Suggests” to anyone who requests it. And I certainly encourage you to join us next Tuesday to think about planning that goes far beyond money.

Paul R. Graves, M.Div., is lead geezer-in-training for Elder Advocates, a consulting ministry on aging issues. Paul is available to 208-610-4971 or elderadvocates@nctv.com.