The last twelve months of the global COVID pandemic have been a “game changer” in everybody’s lives. However, it has been especially devastating for seniors, particularly those living in residential or care facilities. This period of immense hardship and loss for seniors and their caregivers galvanized me to finish my book!
I am proud to share my new guide book called, “Options Open: The Guide for Mapping Your Best Aging Journey”. This workbook style book provides a Five-Strategy Framework for older adults who want to successfully age in the places they choose. This evidence-based framework helps older adults prevent the crisis situation of having to move into a residential setting that doesn’t feel right.
While there are no guarantees in life, with intentional and informed choices, we can use our 60s and 70s to make plans in ways that provide for more choice and control in later life. This involves choosing to live in the right places, and with the right social connections, arranging the right supportive services and caregiving arrangements, and using the latest technologies.
The book is a practical guide to help readers identify the most important people and meaningful experiences they seek, in order to shape their best aging journey. The guide offers practical tools and tips to help create your own version of aging in place, by combining the five key strategies:
- Maintaining Your Best Health
- Making Wise and Informed Housing Choices
- Maintaining a Strong Social Network
- Selecting and Preparing Your Caregiving Team
- Leveraging all of Your Resources (including finances)
The journey is too important to leave it to chance… When you take the lead to do some research and make choices along the way, you can map out plans that suit your values and circumstances. The Options Open guide is designed to help you get started with the process of envisioning your later years, and reflecting on what you hope to experience. Use the many ideas, self-reflection tools and resources within the guide to get your research and action planning started!
You can find the guide on Amazon.ca. and through the IC bookstore. I C Bookstore & I C Publishing – Bookstore. Follow us on Instagram at: #optionsopenguide
Here is a link to a radio interview with CBC’s Fresh Air host, Jelena Adzic, talking about my passion for helping us all with our aging journey…
Happy Travels!