Overdose Deaths of Older Americans Quadrupled in the Past Two Decades – and Most Were Accidents
Just a few months ago here on the Blog, we brought you this troubling story about a problem called “polypharmacy” – a situation we described as “a chronic case of nationwide medication overload.” Now a new report shows just how dire the consequences of poorly-managed prescriptions can be.
In our earlier Blog post published last February, we cited this recent article from the NextAvenue website, written by freelance journalist Barbara Mantel. “The trend of doctors over-prescribing prescription drugs to seniors isn’t new, but it is on the rise,” we wrote at the time. “Research shows that seniors who take too many prescription drugs are at far greater risk of severe side effects that can lead to hospitalization and even death.”
Tragically, that prediction has proved to be accurate, as this new article just published in the Washington Post will attest. Written by reporter Linda Searing, the report reveals that drug overdose deaths among U.S. seniors quadrupled between 2002 and 2021, with at least part of the blame due to multiple prescriptions. Only about 1 in 8 of the overdoses was intentional, the data shows. Moreover, while some deaths involved illicit drugs, many were the consequence of poorly-handled prescription drugs.
Older Populations Are Taking More Drugs Than Ever
In the February article, NextAvenue reporter Mantel revealed that over 40 percent of Americans age 65 and older take five or more prescription drugs (the definition of polypharmacy). That percentage has tripled over the past two decades. Almost 20 percent of older adults take ten drugs or more.
There are several reasons for this epidemic of over-prescription, and we suggest you check out the original Blog article for details. The problem, as we wrote at the time, is that older Americans are particularly susceptible to polypharmacy. Because aging can increase the risk of developing or worsening chronic conditions, multiple medications are sometimes necessary, but the risks are frightening.
“Research shows that each additional medication raises a person’s risk of suffering an adverse drug event by 7 to 10 percent,” said reporter Mantel. “Such events send as many as 750 older Americans to the hospital each day.”
Stunning Rise in Senior Overdose Deaths
Turning to the more recent Washington Post article, we can see just what the consequences of mishandling prescription drugs can look like.
Reporter Linda Searing quotes this troubling statistic at the top of her article: “Overdose fatalities among older Americans climbed in recent years, with 6,702 U.S. residents 65 and older succumbing in 2021, according to research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of fatal overdoses in the 65 and older age range has quadrupled. What was 3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2002 has climbed to 12 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. “Data indicates that 83 percent were accidental, 13 percent were intentional (suicide), 4 percent were undetermined and 0.07 percent (five deaths) were homicides,” Searing writes.
Among those who overdosed, the type of drug involved was also notable: 57 percent of the deaths involved an opioid, 39 percent involved a stimulant, and 18 percent involved a mix of both. “Of unintentional overdoses,” Searing continues, “74 percent stemmed from illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, heroin, cocaine or methamphetamines. But 68 percent of intentional overdoses involved prescription drugs, such as antidepressants, antiepileptics, benzodiazepines, sedative-hypnotics and opioids.”
Opioid Dangers on Top of Too Many Prescriptions
This is where the connection to polypharmacy comes in. The study noted that half of Medicare enrollees now take four or more prescription drugs every single day. Older adults are also likely to be prescribed opioids to help alleviate their chronic pain or recover from surgery, according to the Administration for Community Living, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“This can be problematic,” Searing writes, “because medications can have a stronger effect in older people and drugs leave their systems more slowly than they do in younger people. The CDC reports that the number of drug overdose deaths is larger among younger adults, but the overdose death rates are increasing the fastest among those 65 and older.”
She adds, “The researchers say their study’s findings illustrate the need for more mental health and substance-use programs aimed at older people.”
Rajiv: Seniors Need the Right Physicians for Proper Care
“The American healthcare system is a study in opposites,” Rajiv Nagaich says in response to this story. “On one hand you have the best research facilities, the best medical schools, and the most sophisticated biotech industry in the world. But on the other hand, we’re chronically over-prescribing medicines as if a pill were the answer to every ill. We’re not living longer, healthier lives. Where is the disconnect?” he wonders aloud.
In Rajiv’s view, there are many culprits in this sad equation. “Let’s face it,” he states, “much of American health care revolves completely around the health insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry. These multi-billion-dollar companies make a lot more money keeping you sick than keeping you well. What that means,” he adds, “is that you can’t wait around for a magic pill or a magic surgery or a new government program to help you preserve your health. This is one area where you have got to take charge of your own longevity!”
Rajiv’s recommendations: find the right physician, ideally a board-certified geriatrician who understands the physiology and psychology of aging. Make sure your health insurance plan doesn’t just treat you when you’re sick but also helps you stay well. “And for heaven’s sake,” says Rajiv, “you know you need to get some exercise, stay socially engaged, and eat right. The best time to start is ten years ago – the second-best time is today! No more excuses!”
Contact us and we’ll help you get the right answers when it comes to finding the right doctor and staying well. We can’t solve the problem of out-of-control prescriptions, but we can take charge of our own healthcare. It’s about time we did.
Breaking News: Rajiv’s New Book is Here!
We have big news! The long-awaited book by Rajiv Nagaich, called Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, has been released and is now available to the public. As a friend of AgingOptions, we know you’ll want to get your copy and spread the word.
You’ve heard Rajiv say it repeatedly: 70 percent of retirement plans will fail. If you know someone whose retirement turned into a nightmare when they were forced into a nursing home, went broke paying for care, or became a burden to their families – and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you – then this book is must-read.
Through stories, examples, and personal insights, Rajiv takes us along on his journey of expanding awareness about a problem that few are willing to talk about, yet it’s one that results in millions of Americans sleepwalking their way into their worst nightmares about aging. Rajiv lays bare the shortcomings of traditional retirement planning advice, exposes the biases many professionals have about what is best for older adults, and much more.
Rajiv then offers a solution: LifePlanning, his groundbreaking approach to retirement planning. Rajiv explains the essential planning steps and, most importantly, how to develop the framework for these elements to work in concert toward your most deeply held retirement goals.
Your retirement can be the exciting and fulfilling life you’ve always wanted it to be. Start by reading and sharing Rajiv’s important new book. And remember, Age On, everyone!
(originally reported at www.washingtonpost.com)
Financial Experts Advise, if You’re Retiring and Need a Home Loan, Get One While You’re Still Working
Are you 65 or older and still making mortgage payments? You’re not alone. Recent statistics from LendingTree show that roughly 10 million homeowners 65-plus are still paying on their mortgages – about 1 older homeowner in five. As nice as it would be to have a paid-off home in retirement, that goal remains elusive for plenty of aging homeowners.
However, that statistic assumes that, if you’re still making payments at age 65 or older, you already had that mortgage when you retired. But what if you’re already retired and you’re looking to take out a mortgage to buy that condo or retirement dream house, or even to get a home equity line of credit (a HELOC)? You might assume that your excellent credit rating and solid retirement assets would make the approval process a snap.
If that’s your assumption, you could well be in for an unpleasant surprise, as we learned from this recent column by financial reporter Liz Weston. (Weston writes for NerdWallet but we ran across this column in the Seattle Times.) She reports on a well-to-do retired couple who recently found that qualifying for a HELOC to fix up their St. Louis-area home was harder than they thought. Our first reaction was, if these guys can’t qualify, who can? Our second take-away: as Weston suggests, if you hope to get a mortgage in retirement, it might be wise to do all you can to obtain it before you stop getting a regular paycheck.
Turned Down Twice, Despite Excellent Financials
“Retired engineers Kelly and Derek Barkey assumed they would be approved when they applied for a $50,000 home equity line of credit two years ago to fix up their new house,” Weston writes. The couple, now 56 and 59, had sold their Southern California home and paid cash for a St. Louis home worth $850,000. On paper they looked like a shoo-in for the loan, with $3.5 million in combined retirement and brokerage accounts. Their FICO scores were excellent.
“They were surprised when a national bank turned them down,” says Weston. “They tried a local credit union, which also rejected them.” Kelly Barkey told Weston with a touch of irony, “We haven’t been turned down for credit since about 1987,” back when she was still in college.
Why Are Home Loans Harder to Get in Retirement?
The first impulse might be to accuse the lenders of age discrimination, but the issue is actually more straightforward than hidden bias. “The federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits lenders from discriminating against applicants based on age,” says Weston, “but that doesn’t mean getting a home loan in retirement will be easy even for those with good credit, little debt and plenty of savings, financial planners say.”
So, what’s the hold-up? Weston spoke with the AARP’s Lori Trawinski, who told Weston that the issue is often demonstrating that you have enough steady income to repay the loan. Proving uninterrupted income is sometimes tougher for retirees than for those actively working.
Proving you get a paycheck is simple for those employed. “Working people can use W-2 forms and pay stubs to prove they have sufficient income,” says Weston. “Lenders can verify incomes through IRS transcripts, by calling an employer or using massive paycheck databases such as The Work Number (explained in this 2022 NerdWallet column). Lenders typically want to see two years’ worth of steady income, but working borrowers aren’t required to prove that their incomes will continue at the same rate.”
The rules are more complicated for retirees, says AARP’s Trawinski. “In addition to proving they have enough income to pay the loan, retired people often must prove that the money will continue for at least three years, she says.”
Mortgage Lenders See Two Types of Retirement Income
The Barkeys, as Weston explains, have plenty of income, at least on paper – a combined $70,000 annually from their taxable brokerage account plus consulting income. That’s “more than enough to support the payments on a $50,000 home equity line,” Weston observes. “Yet they were told their applications had been rejected because of ‘inadequate income.’” AARP’s Trawinski blames automated underwriting software for the failure to properly account for the couple’s cash flow.
The challenge, according to the article, is that lenders see two types of retirement income. “Mortgage lenders typically divide retiree income into two categories: income with a potential expiration date and income without,” Weston writes. “Pension payments and Social Security retirement benefits based on an applicant’s work record don’t have an expiration date because the income continues for life. By contrast, retirement and investment accounts often are viewed as having an expiration date because the accounts can be depleted over time, so borrowers must prove the income will continue for a minimum of three years.”
Weston goes into a bit more detail than we have space for to explain how lenders might consider the value of retirement accounts. But in the case of the Barkeys, their young age worked against them: when they originally applied for the HELOC, both were under 59 ½. That meant they couldn’t tap their retirement accounts without a costly penalty. In other words, the $3 million in those accounts could be effectively ignored by mortgage underwriters.
What’s the Answer to Home Loan Approved for Retirees?
One planner with whom Weston spoke, Kayla Johnson of Wilmington, North Carolina, said that it “takes a lot of financial gymnastics” to get mortgages and HELOCS approved for retirees without sufficient steady income.
“[Johnson] recommends people apply for home loans while they’re still working, if possible,” Weston writes. “It’s simplest to secure any loan you may need before retirement.”
But she has good advice for current retirees. “People who need home loans and are already retired should consider talking to a loan officer about their situations before submitting an application and risking damage to their credit scores,” Weston advises. “Such a conversation can help potential applicants get a better feel for how the lender will view their application and how many hurdles lie ahead.”
Remember, Weston reminds us, “Not all lenders are equally skilled at dealing with retired clients, so you may need to talk to more than one lender to find the right fit. And if you’re turned down, don’t consider that the last word.”
That’s the tack the Barkeys took, and it paid off. They reached out to the president of the credit union to find out why they had been rejected. “Soon afterward,” says Weston, “they got a call from the loan department manager admitting the credit union had ‘overlooked some things.’” Within a day, says Kelly Barkey, the HELOC was approved.
Breaking News: Rajiv’s New Book is Here!
We have big news! The long-awaited book by Rajiv Nagaich, called Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, has been released and is now available to the public. As a friend of AgingOptions, we know you’ll want to get your copy and spread the word.
You’ve heard Rajiv say it repeatedly: 70 percent of retirement plans will fail. If you know someone whose retirement turned into a nightmare when they were forced into a nursing home, went broke paying for care, or became a burden to their families – and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you – then this book is must-read.
Through stories, examples, and personal insights, Rajiv takes us along on his journey of expanding awareness about a problem that few are willing to talk about, yet it’s one that results in millions of Americans sleepwalking their way into their worst nightmares about aging. Rajiv lays bare the shortcomings of traditional retirement planning advice, exposes the biases many professionals have about what is best for older adults, and much more.
Rajiv then offers a solution: LifePlanning, his groundbreaking approach to retirement planning. Rajiv explains the essential planning steps and, most importantly, how to develop the framework for these elements to work in concert toward your most deeply held retirement goals.
Your retirement can be the exciting and fulfilling life you’ve always wanted it to be. Start by reading and sharing Rajiv’s important new book. And remember, Age On, everyone!
(originally reported at www.seattletimes.com)
If You’re Updating Your Estate Plan, Watch Out for These Five Most Common Mistakes People Make
The most important bit of advice we can offer about your estate plan is to have one. The second most important advice: keep it up to date. Your circumstances will inevitably change as your life goes on, and odds are those documents you had prepared back when the senior George Bush was President could stand a good review.
Sadly, it’s not at all uncommon for estate planning attorneys to come across estate documents that are decades old and have never been updated. As we’ve said before here on the AgingOptions Blog, estate planning is not a “one-and-done” proposition. That said, this 2022 Kiplinger article on estate planning, written by Florida estate planning attorney Richard Ricciardi, caught our eye last year, and we’re bringing it back for another look.
Ricciardi writes that it’s a great idea to update your estate plan, but there are mistakes and oversights he has seen many clients make which can lead to hidden problems. Let’s review Ricciardi’s list of the five mistakes people often make in the review process.
An Incomplete Review Leads to Legal Headaches
Writing in Kiplinger, Ricciardi begins, “Establishing an estate plan is extremely important. As life changes, it is necessary to update your plan to fit new circumstances. Whether it’s a change in domicile, the death of a family member, new grandchildren or a significant change in assets, it is important to make sure you adjust your estate plan accordingly.”
To that end, Ricciardi highlights the following mistakes that he sees all-too-often, which can lead to real financial and emotional headaches for you and your family in the future.
Mistake #1: Updating the Will, Ignoring the Rest
The first common estate planning error, says Ricciardi, is to focus on making and updating the will, but then to neglect the other documents required for all-around estate planning.
“When updating an estate plan,” Ricciardi writes, “people tend to focus on updating their wills and trusts without taking time to have their powers of attorney, health care directives or nominations of guardians reviewed and updated as well. This tunnel vision prevents them from completing a full update to their estate planning.”
Ricciardi is quick to note that, yes, these ancillary documents are technically valid indefinitely, “but that doesn’t mean they should not be periodically reviewed and updated. Older templates become outdated. Addresses, phone numbers or even the agents themselves might require modification.”
One of Ricciardi’s clients swore up and down that his power of attorney did not need to be changed, only to realize that the agents he had long-ago appointed, namely his siblings, had since passed away. A sobering warning to us all: when making updates, look at the whole picture, not just the will or trust.
Mistake #2: Choosing the Wrong Agents
In his article, Ricciardi says he sees too many clients use what he calls “flawed reasoning” when selecting executors or trustees to act on their behalf. Instead of choosing the most qualified person, they base their choice on an attempt to avoid the appearance of favoritism—often by appointing too many agents—or on age or profession.
“The ideal candidate needs to live in close proximity to you and have an ample amount of time to address issues you may need,” Ricciardi writes. “That person may not be your child who is a doctor with a family, because they might not have enough free time to help.”
He goes on to warn that trying to appoint co-agents—and this includes appointing all of your children together—is not a good idea. “Such action can add to the administration time it takes to transfer your assets,” he explains. “It could also lead to a deadlock due to differing opinions or different time investments.” Ricciardi sums it up this way: “It might be slightly counterintuitive, but one person who is organized, efficient and has the time and capability to handle these matters is most often better than three others.”
Mistake #3: Ignoring a Financial Review, Especially Beneficiary Designations
The third error can hold real landmines, Ricciardi writes. It’s the mistake of updating your estate plan without taking a close look at your financial accounts first – especially your beneficiary designations.
“An attorney can update an estate plan, but people should also take the time to meet with a financial adviser and have their investments and financials reviewed as well,” Ricciardi writes. “Most people are so focused on having their estate plan updated that they forget to get a checkup on their financial accounts and remember to make beneficiary designations.”
Sadly, Ricciardi knows the pain of this firsthand. He regularly performs probate services on the estates of people who spent the resources necessary to create trusts, but after they pass away it’s discovered that they forgot to assign beneficiaries to their financial accounts separate from the trusts. “Now,” he warns, “beneficiaries must go through the time and expense of probate, when preventing that issue was one of the primary plan objectives. The vehicle is important, but make sure what is inside is periodically checked as well.”
Rajiv Nagaich of AgingOptions adds this highly important alert: the beneficiary designation form you signed on your first day at the new job thirty years ago usually trumps whatever your will stipulates. “In most cases the designation of a beneficiary supersedes your will,” he states. “This is particularly important where there have been multiple marriages. Keep those forms current!”
Mistake #4: Overlooking the Laws When Moving Between States
The next error is forgetting to update your estate plan when you move to another state. As Ricciardi explains, “Estate planning documents drafted out-of-state, as long as they were drafted with the formalities and requirements of that state, will be effective in all 50 states. That being said, having out-of-state documents can unnecessarily complicate trust or estate administration, or the ability to exercise powers of attorney or health care directives.”
Whenever a client moves to another state, Ricciardi always advises them to review and update their plans to make sure everything functions correctly. “They might be legally effective, but there is no good reason to have a slew of estate planning documents from Michigan when you left that state five years ago and have no further connection to that state,” he writes.
Mistake #5: Not Updating Critical Information for Your Executor
The final error Ricciardi gives us can have pretty dire consequences: forgetting to create, or update, your “asset cheat sheet” for your heirs and executors.
“Most individuals, as they get older, accumulate a great deal of different assets and investments,” Ricciardi writes. “Real property is easy to find, but accounts are not so easy to locate. It is not uncommon for someone to have stock and bond investments, life insurance, annuities, securities or other investments with many different institutions. I find it rare that someone has all of their investments with one company.”
As Ricciardi puts it, no one knows your financials like you do. When you change anything in your estate plan, make sure you create and update a list of your accounts and assets. “It is not important to put a value to the account, as those change over time,” Ricciardi explains. “Make sure to include the name and location of the account and the last four digits of the account number. It is one of the most important things you can do for your beneficiaries to avoid an unnecessary treasure hunt for your assets when you’re gone.” We would add, don’t forget to have passwords available for your executor.
With these mistakes in mind as you create and update your estate plans, you are far less likely to walk into painful, costly situations for you and your loved ones. You know what they say about an ounce of prevention? According to Ricciardi, it especially holds true for planning your estate.
Breaking News: Rajiv’s New Book is Here!
We have big news! The long-awaited book by Rajiv Nagaich, called Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, has been released and is now available to the public. As a friend of AgingOptions, we know you’ll want to get your copy and spread the word.
You’ve heard Rajiv say it repeatedly: 70 percent of retirement plans will fail. If you know someone whose retirement turned into a nightmare when they were forced into a nursing home, went broke paying for care, or became a burden to their families – and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you – then this book is must-read.
Through stories, examples, and personal insights, Rajiv takes us along on his journey of expanding awareness about a problem that few are willing to talk about, yet it’s one that results in millions of Americans sleepwalking their way into their worst nightmares about aging. Rajiv lays bare the shortcomings of traditional retirement planning advice, exposes the biases many professionals have about what is best for older adults, and much more.
Rajiv then offers a solution: LifePlanning, his groundbreaking approach to retirement planning. Rajiv explains the essential planning steps and, most importantly, how to develop the framework for these elements to work in concert toward your most deeply held retirement goals.
Your retirement can be the exciting and fulfilling life you’ve always wanted it to be. Start by reading and sharing Rajiv’s important new book. And remember, Age On, everyone!
(originally reported at www.kiplinger.com)
When Safety Meets the Second Amendment: Should There Be “Gun Retirement” for the Elderly?
Cognitive decline is a very real part of life for millions of seniors and their families. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that one-third of seniors will die with some form of dementia, not necessarily as the cause of death, but as a factor that often complicates their lives, and the lives of those they love, in their later years. With that many seniors affected by diminishing mental faculties, all of society has a major stake in how to keep them safe. But one of the greatest dangers may be the one often overlooked: what about seniors who own guns or who live in households with easy access to firearms?
Giving Up a Firearm May Be Just Like Giving Up the Car Keys
To explore this topic, we turn once again to this article on the HealthDay website, written by reporter Amy Norton. “Just as some elderly drivers need to give up their car keys, older gun owners may eventually face ‘firearm retirement,’” Norton writes. “And a preliminary study suggests they are open to the idea.” She’s referring to a set of focus-group interviews with older gun owners, done a few years back in Seattle by researchers at the University of Washington.
“It’s an important issue,” says HealthDay, “given that 40 percent of older Americans live in a home with a gun.” That’s according to lead researcher Laura Prater, who works at the UW’s Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. The study found that many of the senior respondents in the focus groups had already considered putting some limits on their firearm access, but most had not yet laid out firm plans to determine when and how.
Firearms Plus Dementia: A Frightening Combination
The concern, says the HealthDay report, is obvious. “A significant number of those seniors have or will develop dementia or major depression,” Norton writes. “If they have easy access to a firearm, they could harm themselves, accidentally or intentionally.” The UW’s Laura Prater says their study does not suggest taking firearms from older adults who can still use them safely. But once a senior’s mental state puts themselves or others at risk, the situation changes dramatically.
“The point, [Prater] stressed, is that gun owners, family members and health care providers should talk about the future,” says the article, “including what should happen with household firearms once a person’s health makes access a hazard.” Prater advocates making the topic of gun possession “like a normal conversation, just like you plan for other things, like driving, retirement or finances.”
Study: Older Gun Owners Generally Accept “Weapon Retirement”
With gun rights so politicized in the U.S., one might assume that older gun owners would dig in their heels and resist the very idea of giving up their guns – but as it turns out, that’s not so. “A big takeaway from the interviews was that gun owners accepted the concept of firearm ‘retirement,’” HealthDay reports. That’s because they take their responsibility seriously.
“Older adults want to be responsible gun owners,” Laura Prater told HealthDay. “What they weren’t open to was someone else making the decision for them.” As with everything else about aging, this attitude demands that families practice thorough planning before the time when early-stage dementia begins to advance and communication becomes a challenge.
How Many Guns? Start with a Firearm Inventory
The University of Washington report recommends that families might start by taking a firearm inventory, where the older adult and family members account for all weapons in the home. “Many owners, Prater noted, have multiple firearms, and family members or other caregivers are not always aware of them,” HealthDay reports.
After tallying up all the weapons in the household, seniors might be more comfortable disposing of firearms that are not being used, allowing for a kind of transition period. (Make sure you check with local law enforcement on how best to do that.) This also gives families the opportunity to talk with their loved one about what each firearm means to them. If they associate their gun with safety, then families need to talk about how they can still feel safe if the gun is no longer around. “If they value a rifle because hunting was an important activity for them, then the question may be how to replace that lost activity,” says the article.
Note that gun owners who want to pass along their firearms to their heirs need to make certain they’re following proper legal protocol, or else the heirs could run afoul of federal and state laws. A Gun Trust may definitely be worth investigating, as described in this recent Kiplinger article. We encourage you to contact Life Point Law for assistance and consultation.
No One Knows the Scope of the Problem – and Doctors Aren’t Addressing It
Part of the challenge this issue presents, HealthDay reports, is a lack of reliable information concerning the scope of the problem. “Data are lacking on how many Americans with dementia live in a home with firearms – and how often that ends in harm,” says the article. In one recent study of 124 caregivers, one-third of those caring for someone with dementia said there was a firearm in the house. “On the other hand, only 5 percent of the entire group said a doctor had ever talked to them about firearm safety,” HealthDay warns.
Experts say more doctors need to have the issue on their radar, and include it with other household safety questions. “The general thinking,” said one researcher, “is that when dementia reaches the stage where driving is unsafe, handling a firearm is unsafe, too.”
Suggestions on Gun Safety from the Alzheimer’s Association
We visited the website of the Alzheimer’s Association and found this important set of recommendations about guns and dementia. We’ll abbreviate their points here but we encourage you to click the link and print out the pdf to share with family and friends.
The following may help as you prepare to discuss firearms:
- Begin with a discussion of who might inherit various pieces. This can be a way to move to a discussion of safety at home when the responsibility for keeping firearms in good working order becomes too difficult or is no longer possible.
- Consider selling some valuable items that are no longer used to help pay for care.
- Discuss donating an antique collection for others to appreciate.
- Enlist the help of a knowledgeable, trusted authority figure and get the family’s agreement ahead of time to follow his or her advice. Consider inviting trusted relatives or hunting buddies to take part in the conversation with the family.
- If there is no consent to remove the weapons, removal may need to be done against the person’s wishes, ideally while he or she is out of the house. Also remove reminders of the weapons, including cases, ammunition, racks and holsters.
- Address any anger or other emotions that may occur as a result of the change by acknowledging feelings.
- Redirecting to an activity that can be done together may help reduce feelings of anger or other emotions.
- If you need assistance removing the guns, your local law enforcement agency may be able to help.
- Laws around selling or transferring firearms vary from state to state. It is important to familiarize yourself with applicable laws in your state.
Breaking News: Rajiv’s New Book is Here!
We have big news! The long-awaited book by Rajiv Nagaich, called Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, has been released and is now available to the public. As a friend of AgingOptions, we know you’ll want to get your copy and spread the word.
You’ve heard Rajiv say it repeatedly: 70 percent of retirement plans will fail. If you know someone whose retirement turned into a nightmare when they were forced into a nursing home, went broke paying for care, or became a burden to their families – and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you – then this book is must-read.
Through stories, examples, and personal insights, Rajiv takes us along on his journey of expanding awareness about a problem that few are willing to talk about, yet it’s one that results in millions of Americans sleepwalking their way into their worst nightmares about aging. Rajiv lays bare the shortcomings of traditional retirement planning advice, exposes the biases many professionals have about what is best for older adults, and much more.
Rajiv then offers a solution: LifePlanning, his groundbreaking approach to retirement planning. Rajiv explains the essential planning steps and, most importantly, how to develop the framework for these elements to work in concert toward your most deeply held retirement goals.
Your retirement can be the exciting and fulfilling life you’ve always wanted it to be. Start by reading and sharing Rajiv’s important new book. And remember, Age On, everyone!
(originally reported at https://consumer.healthday.com)
