‘A BIG PART OF FINANCIAL FREEDOM IS HAVING YOUR HEART AND MIND FREE FROM WORRY ABOUT THE WHAT- IFS OF LIFE’ – SUZE ORMAN
Old age
Disability
Death
We will All experience 2 if not all 3 of this
I personally came face to face with the ODD factor! No matter how prepared you are mentally, emotionally, it is still a jolt, and in that moment, one experiences shock, disbelief, fear, a sense of helplessness distress and a lot more. These incidents take on a deeper meaning when the person effected is near and dear to us or when we are the ‘victims’.
My active spritely 87-year-OLD mother suffered a stroke and then a seizure, was rushed in the ambulance straight to the resuscitation center of the emergency of Rashid hospital in Dubai. I spent 4 nights sleeping on a plastic chair in the hospital scared, anxious, stressed, prone to teary outbursts
DISABILITY…She needed 24-hour care
Overnight my life, work, schedules changed. As my sister and I struggled (and I use the word deliberately) our lives were turned upside down….work, meetings, deadlines! Routine financial commitments, additional expenses totally unforeseen keep creeping up. Sleep deprivation, new medical protocols fear, uncertainty we still experiencing all.
Just when I thought I was just about coping and adjusting to these changes the Universe decided to throw another challenge at me, a close relative was admitted to ICU with multiple organ failure. Circumstances being as they were the only one to be there was me, so leaving my sister to care for our mother I flew to be at her side. DEATH, First hand I experienced seeing a person on life support where I had to carry out decisions. Even though the directives were not mine I still had to ensure instructions were carried out and that was the difficult. Death, up close and personal
The ODD factor hit me in the solar plexus real hard and it I admit it knocked the wind out of my sails
Yes, I know what you are thinking this will never happen to me well think again. Am I spelling doom and gloom? No, I’m just being pragmatic. You and I can be a ‘victim’ overnight we can become dependent on others for our physical welfare.
Independent to dependent just two letters IN and we could be in a place where none of us want to be where our
Self-respect
Privacy
Our likes/dislikes
Our wishes
Body/mind disconnect
the physical, psychological trauma is unimaginable
Compromises all round
Out flow of money, tons of paperwork to sift through. This is what I found. I’m sharing this with you because in most families no one is prepared enough for what one might call eventualities and it takes a whole lot of adjustments, emotionally physically and financially.
If anyone says to me you won’t need ‘this’ or ‘that’ much money when you are old I will punch them in the face. The fact that people faced with these challenges silently bear the financial burden and the emotionally/physically draining experience does not mean they are not affected in a negative manner
You will need 3 time more money in old age then you do now and that’s a FACT.
Sure, you may not socialize, travel that often, slow down as it were. if you are one for the designer clothes and accessories and you spend an average of USD 3,000/- indulging yourself you will spend more than that to indulge yourself in health care in your ‘golden’ years per month and the amounts just go up, thanks to inflation.
Overnight US$ 12,000/- AED 44,000/- cash from my account when my mother suffered her first heart attack in 2016. The hospital would NOT treat her till the money was paid upfront also, Health insurance for a 80+ costs a bomb.
Feb 2020, she suffered a stroke and we have spent over USD 40,000/ and counting –hospitals, medicines, buying new equipment, round the clock nursing care. Initially my sister and I thought we could manage but after we both damaged our backs, endless sleepless days and nights we had no choice but to get help. 24-hour care costs a bomb!
Just to give you an idea of what cost we continue to incur
- Medical – no limit – various specialists, Cardiologist, Nephrologist, Endocrinologist, checkups numerous tests, scans, etc. have to be done on a regular basis
- Physiotherapy
- Medications
- Changes in the home – wheel chair, special potty chair, hospital bed, walker, installing railings in the passage ways and toilet
- Disposable items to maintain hygiene and personal cleanliness
- 24-hour nursing care to assist in bathing, toileting, exercising, moving about
- Special diet means fresh, no additives, low glycemic, low salt
The list just goes on and the costs just keep rising
Start by seriously looking into your finances RIGHT NOW even if you have planned well. If you have elderly parents who depend on you, all your financial plans can go for a toss. Medical Insurance for the aged is astronomically high, the ‘add ons’ can drain your financial resources
- Income and Outflow
- Loans, debts, credit card payments
- EMI’s Systematic savings plans
- Insurances, Health, Critical Illness, Life, Property and more
- Do you have the appropriate insurances please review and update/upgrade
- Savings, Fixed Deposits, Bonds, Investments, Real Estate
- Find out what it costs for healthcare
The Important paperwork
- Wills, are they up to date? Have they been signed? Have they been registered?
- Who are the beneficiaries of the WILLS (Parents, Spouses, Siblings, children?) any changes to be made
- You need to ensure that all WILLS include all assets all bank accounts, shares, bonds real estate, plot numbers etc.
- Powers of Attorney Have you been give this by anyone? For what reason?
- Have you given a Power of Attorney to anyone for what reason
- Who are the nominees who have access to open to your safety deposit boxes
- Who are the beneficiaries of your life Insurance policies
- What other documents should you and your family members be aware of
Please do not dismiss this article as
- Boring or morbid
- I have more important things to do right now
- Someone else is taking care of this
- This not my concern
Consider a Living will. A living will is a written, legal document that spells out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive, as well as your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation.
This can happen to you or your loved ones at any time so don’t neglect don’t postpone.
Work with a lawyer, insurance agent and accountant to put your legal and financial affairs in order
Please meet as family, (on zoom if you are in different countries or cities) don’t wait to travel to meet in person.
Share, Discuss, Clarify ACT
