If you have been putting off setting long term care plans for yourself or your loved ones, now is the time.  Studies show that most people wait until there is a crisis to begin this type of planning, and as we all know, at that point, it is nearly too late.

Long term care plans need to be made in advance.  Those same studies show that people go through six stages of change when they begin to complete these types of health care plans.

The Stages

The first stage is ‘precontemplation’.  This stage is where you realize you’ve never thought about planning.

The next stage is contemplation.  You begin to start thinking about planning.

The third stage is preparation.  You begin to get prepared.  You learn what you can, you gather information.

The next stage is action, you actually plan for long term care; and finally the last stage is maintenance. This is when you review the plans.

PREPARE Website

In order to help you better ‘prepare’ your long term care plans, the PREPARE website was developed.  The website will guide older adults and their families through the stages listed above. It will help people understand each step and help guide them through each step, telling them what to expect.

The site helps you and your loved ones make medical decisions, gives you advice on talking with doctors, and provides additional tips on what questions to ask about medical care.

The website is a great tool what will help guide you through the process of choosing a decision maker. It will also help you tell others about your wishes (or the wishes of your loved ones) and it will guide you completely through making all the long term care plans that need to be completed.  PREPARE starts with you selecting a decision maker, which is a very critical step.

On the website you’ll notice that the type is large and each screen has just one idea. It is very easy to navigate and follow.  Each stage of the process has videos and stories that break down the choices and make it easy to understand.  You can stop the process at any time and save your info; coming back at a later time.  It is all very user-friendly.