Start Early...Plan Ahead

Start Early.....Plan Ahead

This is advice I give a lot when someone is asking about services.  No matter what you are looking for; when you are looking for unique supports and services for your loved ones, you need to start early.

Not only can the process take many years in some parts of the world, but life can change in an instant and you are left without a solution you need right away.  If you have a child that is diagnosed with a developmental or physical disability or other diagnosis that will be long term, start investigating as you as you find out.  The steps can vary depending on your child's needs and support requirements, but start looking into every aspect of service as soon as possible.  The more you are armed with in terms of knowledge and supports you can put in place early, the less stressed you will be.

The same can go for your child with special or unique support needs who is graduating from school.  They have likely spent the majority of their days in school throughout their life and you need to be preparing well in advance for what happens after school.  This can be a very stressful transition for the person and the family.  Where do they go?  What do they need? Who will take care of them?  Get these answers well in advance (and in advance, I mean a couple years, not a couple weeks).  This life transition can be a difficult one as well as the person with the unique needs will be facing a world that is unknown to them.  Preparing in advance will help you prepare them for what comes next.

What about an adult supporting an aging parent?  Let's say your parent has recently been diagnosed with dementia but as of today it is the early stages of the disease and your parent is still able to make all their own choices and live independently  For now things seem great, but dementia can be slow for a while then quickly progress.  Being prepared for this while your loved one is able to make their  own decisions is important.  How do they want to live out their life, where do they wish to live?  What services do they want?  Do they have their end of life details such as a will organized?  All these things can be done while your parent is still in good health and able to make these decisions.  This may not be the case if the aging parent has a stroke or heart attack that was not expected but there are still some things that can be planned for such as end of life care, financial planning, wills etc.

For everyone on the planet, we do not know how long we will live and be present but for some, we may know that their life expectancy is different from mine or yours or that they will not develop quite the same as someone else their age.  It is so important to be informed and start early!  It is never to early to ask the questions you may have and be prepared for what is to come.

Barb



barb@twinlifecoaching.ca.