Being a Caregiver Makes it Important to Plan for Your Future

As a caregiver, you face many burdens. You have the pressure of caring for that special person in need as well as perhaps your other family members. It is easy to overlook a very important person in this equation: You.

Failing to plan for yourself can be one of the most devastating mistakes you can make as a caregiver. While your health is good, it is important to:

Take time for yourself to maintain both your physical and mental health
Be sure to take advantage of respite care opportunities
Develop an estate plan for yourself so that if something unexpected were to happen to you, your loved ones would be able to act for you
Explore long-term care strategies for yourself, including possibly purchasing long-term care insurance
Learn from the experiences of others http://www.iog.wayne.edu/pdfs/taking_care.pdf

Your efforts as a caregiver provide great meaning and value to the person that you serve. But you must also take proper care of yourself in order to continue helping your loved one.

Howard H. Collens is an attorney with the law firm of Galloway and Collens, PLLC. He can be reached at (248) 545-2500 or at www.GallowayCollens.com. He is a member of the Senior & Caregiver Resource Network (www.sacrn.org). This information is not intended to provide legal advice.