Family Drama

My uncle Ken has CP and developmental delays. When my grandparents died, he was placed in a long-term care facility and his finances are looked after by another uncle. In the past few months, Ken has mentioned to my dad that he doesn't have access to his own funds, and that he'd like to be able to do additional things (excursions, etc). Unfortunately this has caused some major family drama, and my dad is being haunted by trying to do what is right for his one brother, while trying to trust his other brother, all while feeling like his parents would have wanted things done a bit differently for Ken. Drama.

As society gets older, this is not a unique experience - in fact, in my inbox today this article jumped out at me: www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/blog/detail/blog/2019/06/18/planning-for-the-future-the-concerns-among-older-parents-of-adult-children-with-intellectual-disabilities

An extra element for all professionals to be aware of as we speak with our stakeholders - you never know the intricacies of what may be keeping them awake at night. Planning for death may also come with the double-edged sword of also planning for long-term care for dependents. The stress of the unknowns could be overwhelming... is it any wonder we may not want to engage in these conversations?

Uncomfortable though it may be, it may be better to do that SWOT analysis now and save loved ones the drama.