Aging with a Plan (PDF)

The book is a concise and comprehensive resource for people who are middle-aged and beyond and are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly loved ones-an often overwhelming task for which little in life prepares us. Using an interdisciplinary approach and many personal anecdotes, Professor Hoffman develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems for aging and caregiving.

Aging with a Plan combines thorough research with engaging anecdotes and practical advice. It offers one-stop shopping for anyone in need of guidance without a lot of time for independent research. The book answers questions such as: What legal documents should you be sure to have? What expenses should you anticipate in retirement and how do you save for them? What do you need to know about medical care as you or your loved ones grow older? How should you approach conversations about the sensitive topic of safe driving with elderly loved ones? What options exist for end-of-life care, and how do you make sure that your wishes will be followed? The book is user-friendly and accessible to a general audience, and each chapter ends with a helpful checklist.

The book draws on the author's background in law and bioethics as well as personal experience with health care and the elderly. Dr. Hoffman presents thorough research to bolster her advice. She also writes of her parents' many challenges during their last years and her husband's Parkinson's disease. This is an illuminating, engrossing, and immensely useful resource.