As we age, new challenges emerge in the places you’d least expect. If your finances, personal affairs, and identification information are protected early on, you’re much less likely to face a plethora of bookkeeping complications a few years down the line. From planning a move, to arranging for a live-in caregiver – it’ll only take a few minutes to get started on this process.

Taxes & Finances

A significant change in living conditions can create quite a shift in the way you pay taxes – and there may be added benefits and cost breaks if you’re arranging to live with a caregiver, relocating to a nursing or retirement home, or making preparations for a new independent living scenario. Invite a loved one to join you on a trip to a well-established accountant or tax consultant, and have an informational session to explore all the financial management options which will be at your disposal.

What you’ll need to keep track of

Things get lost. It’s one of the most frustrating complications that a family can endure, when faced with a challenging care situation. It’s easy for anyone to lose track of mortgages, medical records, and personal ID – but this problem understandably increases as we grow older. It only takes a little bit of caution early on to avoid any complications on the road ahead. Possessing an ID is a crucial component of maintaining a feeling of self-reliance and independence. Allowing a loved one or caregiver to make copies of these documents means you’ll rest easy, knowing that a safeguard exists for this important information. Here’s a list of documents you should create back-up copies of:

Drivers License
Passport
Social Insurance Number
Banking Information
Account passwords

It’s also a good idea to make up a master key ring that a loved one can keep possession of.

Establishing Routines

Having a regular routine makes it easy to schedule your day. Establishing a daily time for meals, bathing, and excursions will help simplify any timetable issues. Make a ritual out of opening the curtains in the morning. The presence of sunlight and warmth are great associative aids when it comes to keeping track of the time of day. You can reverse this routine at night, when the curtains are closed.

Mobility issues can gradually limit your ability to complete physically complicated tasks – but this doesn’t mean that you have to stop participating in these activities altogether. Lifelong hobbies like fixing the car and refinishing furniture don’t have to be abandoned at all. With the ability to pre-plan, other participants can now contribute – making these rituals into group activities, where tasks can be delegated according to physical ability.

Josh Byer is an author, blogger, and copywriter residing in Vancouver, BC. His article appears compliments of SeniorsZen.com, a complimentary retirement resource for Canadian seniors.