Not enough Americans are having “the conversation” — the aging conversation, that is. To combat this and spread awareness about resources, Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, and Richard Wexler, host of the podcast Caring in America, have teamed up on APlan2Age.org. The nonprofit website, which offers information on everything from care plans to long-term care options, aims to help Americans come up with thoughtful aging plans before healthcare events — such as falls — throw families into caregiving crises. Ross and Wexler talked to McKnight’s Home Care about the site and how home care firms can play a role in the discussion.
Americans plan their vacations in more painstaking detail than they plan for aging, even though the aging stage of life lasts much longer, said Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. After meeting Richard Wexler, host of the podcast Caring in America about a year and a half ago, they decided to launch a nonprofit foundation to help Americans plan their aging journeys and be proactive. The result is APlan2Age.org. Unlike other sites that provide resources, APlan2Age is noncommercial and does not seek to profit off the site, Ross said, noting that Senior Helpers is an advisory council member. He encourages other home care firms to reach out and help support the site. One of the site's signature aspects is a care plan that visitors can fill out and modify over time. Ross noted that the purpose of APlan2Age is to try to prepare for the aging process as a way to head off a catastrophic life event. Families, for example, might talk about installing grab bars in loved ones’ showers to help prevent falls. Wexler learned about the importance of planning the hard way — when he and his wife were thrust into caregiving roles for their parents in their 80s. One of the big reasons to prepare for aging is to take pressure off family caregivers who shoulder most of the burden of caring for aging family members, Ross said. The next big development for APlan2Age will be Tuesday, July 29, at 1 pm ET, when Ross and Wexler hold a webinar entitled “The National Conversation on Aging.”
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Show contributors:
McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers and Co-founder of APlan2Age; Richard Wexler, CEO and Co-founder of APlan2Age