Planning ahead provides stepping stones when you or a family member has a health/life event instead of not knowing what they want and having to research options in a time of crisis.
As a part of my series about the “5 Things Retirees Say They Wish They Were Told Before They Began Retirement” I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard Wexler.
Richard is the CEO and co-founder of APlan2Age, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate the aging journey with greater confidence and clarity. An elder care educator and consultant, Richard also hosts a podcast called Caring in America to introduce nationwide senior care resources through interesting conversations. He uses his personal experiences and 40+ years of business skills to educate and empower families and businesses to understand the complexities of aging.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Absolutely, and thank you for the opportunity. For 14 years, my wife and I cared for all four of our parents — at one point, three at the same time. On top of that, we were raising two school-age children, balancing homework, after-school activities and sports while also managing our parents’ growing needs. We quickly realized we were not prepared for that stage of life.
As our parents’ health declined, the challenges became overwhelming. Our family had given little thought to how this chapter would unfold, and the reality was far more difficult than any of us ever imagined. We began to recognize that many other families face similar struggles. We thought, what if we could share what we learned and help others avoid the hardships we endured?