Advance planning involves making decisions regarding practically every aspect of a person’s life, especially prior to becoming ill or mentally incapacitated (unable to make personal decisions).

Types of advance planning include:

• Financial and Retirement Planning: to attempt to ensure sufficient funds are available to provide for the desired lifestyle and future needs for the remainder of a person’s life
  
• Estate Planning: to provide instruction for the distribution of property upon a person’s death
  
• Funeral Planning: to prearrange desired funeral service and burial arrangements
  
• Health Care Planning: (often referred to as end-of-life care planning) to designate a person’s wishes for care, to identify who should make decisions in case of a person’s inability to do so, and to specify the type of life-saving techniques that should be used and to the extent desired

By planning in advance how to handle different scenarios, a person can live their life as they desire and gain greater control over decisions that affect their future. Caregivers need to encourage their loved one to discuss these issues. This will help their loved one make their desires known and feel some measure of control over future uncertainties.