It can sneak up fast, but a milestone birthday party for a parent or other loved one presents an opportunity to do more than just send out birthday party invitations. Planning a milestone birthday is the perfect time to ask thoughtfully-worded questions about your parent’s health and financial well-being.
It’s not easy to talk about things that parents typically keep private from their children, like money and health matters. Discussing them underscores the growing possibility of illness and death that inevitably come with aging. The best case scenario is when parents offer information and instructions on their own accord, but this isn’t so common.
Have the ‘Birthday Party Invitations’ Talk
So here are 7 questions to consider asking your parent. The perfect time to do so might just be during a more lighthearted moment, such as discussing the guest list for the birthday party invitations! Here’s how to have a ‘birthday party invitations’ talk:
- WILL… Have you put your wishes in a legally-binding document, including the details about property?
- POWER OF ATTORNEY… Who do you want designated to make financial decisions on your behalf in case of an emergency?
- LIVING WILL… Have you thought about the details of your care and comfort in case of a terminal illness?
- HEALTH PROXY… Who would you want to make health-related decisions in case you were unable to?
- HIPPA RELEASE… Who should have access to your private medical information to help handle claims if needed?
- FIDUCIARY/TRUSTEE… Who do you want to have access to your financial accounts in case you are unable to? (Banks and other institutions may have proprietary requirements that could precede even a Power of Attorney.)
- LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE… Have you thought about the benefits of purchasing long-term care insurance to cover assisted living not covered by Medicare?
Follow-up by helping to get everything written down in legally binding documents. It’s a lot of leg-work and paperwork, so if you face resistance, do your part to facilitate the process. Make calls, get the proper documentation, follow through with all the parties involved.
Then, you can get back to party planning duties, including ordering fabulous birthday party invitations. For a wide variety of designs that you can personalize with your own text and photos, check the collection at www.looklovesend.com. All party invitations print on premium quality papers and turnaround is fast, shipping generally within 48 hours of receiving your order.
