I had a speaking event almost 15 years ago, and the speaker before me was Honey Leveen, a Long Term Care Insurance Specialist. I am so glad I arrived early that day and heard her presentation. At the time, I had no idea long-term care was not covered by my existing insurance plan and future Medicare. Not long after that meeting, Wonder Husband and I purchased a long-term care insurance policy from Honey. I was 47 years old, and it's one of the best things I've ever done. Money was tight, but we cut back on other things with our future in mind. We don't have a large amount of savings now. We do have care waiting for us when we need it for the rest of our lives.
Ask friends and family if they have long-term care Insurance and who they used to navigate the plans and pricing. There is also a link to contact Honey in this episode's description. She tells us a lot about this special insurance in the first part of this interview. The second half is a conversation we had when we stopped to grab coffee with Honey and her husband near a retirement community they have moved to in Florida - to hear more about senior living options. More and more senior living companies are finding ways to make the last years of life happy, social, comfortable, and safe. Honey Leveen educates us on how these places work on a Starbucks patio in sunny Ft Myers, Florida.
We will all get older, so we might as well have as much info as possible. Bottom line - have a plan - not only where and how you will live as you age but who and how you will pay for it. Don't burden your family because of your lack of planning.
Yes, long-term care, any plan, will cost you some money. And the older you get, the more expensive it will get. But odds are you will need something - your plan should not be to burden your family with your care. Surprisingly, a third of my podcast audience is in their 20s, so I'm talking to you now. Start putting a few dollars away now for your retirement and elder care. If you do it now, you will have incredible peace of mind and quality of life later.
It's up to you. Start talking about this with your family and friends. We need a much better system in the US and worldwide to care for our aging population, but until someone comes up with that plan.
Last, we're just coming off Thanksgiving and heading into the holidays. If there is a caregiver you need to shop for, here are some ideas - maid service, lawn service, grocery delivery, premade meals for their freezer, or a meal service, take over for a few hours so they can get something done or have time to themselves. Send them to a nice hotel for a few nights off, and you take over the care or hire a home health service. Most importantly, say thank you, "I see you and see what you are doing and everything you are sacrificing." A little acknowledgment goes a long way,
HONEY LEVEEN, LUTCF, CLTC, LTCP
Work: 713-988-4671
Cell: 713-447-6197
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