Rajiv Nagaich is an elder law attorney, author, adjunct law school professor, and retirement planning visionary who has achieved national recognition for his cutting-edge work with retirees and his contributions to the practice of elder law. He is the founder of two firms based in Federal Way: Life Point Law, an elder law and estate planning firm, and AgingOptions, a firm that provides retirement-related education to consumers and professionals.

Rajiv Nagaich is an elder law attorney, author, adjunct law school professor, and retirement planning visionary who has achieved national recognition for his cutting-edge work with retirees and his contributions to the practice of elder law. He is the founder of two firms based in Federal Way: Life Point Law, an elder law and estate planning firm, and AgingOptions, a firm that provides retirement-related education to consumers and professionals.

You aren’t the only one concerned about ending up in a nursing home | Senior Lifestyles

  • Tuesday, November 23, 2021 11:00am
  • Life

Dear Rajiv: My wife and I are both 59 years old and in good health. We are starting to think about where we will live after we retire in a few years. We don’t want to end up in nursing homes like our parents did when they got old and sick. What should be doing now to prevent that from happening to us? Signed, Worried.

Worried, thank you for this question. You aren’t the only one concerned about ending up in a nursing home. According to a 2019 poll from Nationwide Retirement Institute, more than half of adults over age 50 say they would rather die than be forced into skilled nursing care. Yet research from Stanford University shows us that 70% of Americans end up dying in institutional settings.

That’s a big disconnect.

Fortunately, you are asking the right question at the right time. If you start planning now, it is entirely possible to avoid having to move into a nursing home when your health fails.

When it comes to choosing a place to live in retirement, I advise my clients to think about where their last home will be. Think of it as your “forever” home. This is the place you can continue to live no matter what happens with your health. If you become incapacitated, you won’t have to move into a care facility because you will have arranged in advance for the care to come to you.

Your forever home can be anyplace that is age friendly: your current home, a more appropriate home, a mother-in-law unit in your child’s home, or a retirement community. You just need the assurance that you won’t have to move when your health fails.

The issue then becomes one of timing. When should you move into your forever home? The best time to make the move is when you still have about eight to ten years of good health ahead of you. Since no one has a crystal ball, you will have to give it your best guess. Research on this subject points to age 75 as the ideal time to be in your forever home, but it depends on your individual health circumstances. If you’re still climbing Mount Rainier at age 75, you may be able to push it out to 80. If you are not healthy at 65, then you should probably be in your forever home by age 70. In any case, early planning is key.

Rajiv Nagaich is an elder law attorney, author, adjunct law school professor, and retirement planning visionary who has achieved national recognition for his cutting-edge work with retirees and his contributions to the practice of elder law. He is the founder of two firms based in Federal Way: Life Point Law, an elder law and estate planning firm, and AgingOptions, a firm that provides retirement-related education to consumers and professionals. For more information, visit AgingOptions.com, LifePointLaw.com or call 877-762-4464.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Life

Painting the Mother Africa logo for the organization’s 2025 Board Retreat. Courtesy photo.
Mother Africa: Serving KC’s immigrant community for 21 years

Mother Africa has been part of South King County for over 20… Continue reading

t
Kentridge High School presents ‘Hairspray,’ final production by director

Director Jennifer Grajewski is retiring after an extraordinary 43-year career in education

t
Farmers Market to keep going despite Kent Lions Club bowing out

Living Well Kent to take over running the operation

Kentwood High School choir. COURTESY PHOTO, Kent School District
Kentwood High School Choir to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York

Choir sent in audition tape to help get selected for March 24 event

t
Maple Valley woman advances to Knockouts on ‘The Voice’

Coach Adam Levine picks Lucia Flores-Wiseman, 22, as winner of her battle against teammate

t
37th annual Kent Kids’ Arts Day attracts many young artists | Photos

Children in preschool to fourth grade participated in hands-on projects at Kent Commons

t
Zumba events to honor Renton man, 34, killed in vehicle crash

Pedro Sandoval attended and taught the dance fitness classes across the area, including Kent

The Seattle-based Paula Boggs Band will perform Friday, March 7 at the Kent Cider & Ale Trail. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, Paula Boggs Band
Kent Cider & Ale Trail set for March 7 in historic downtown

Sample drinks and check out the entertainment at local businesses from 6 to 9 p.m.

t
Maple Valley singer advances on ‘The Voice’ to next round

Lucia Flores-Wiseman, 22, is a graduate of University of Washington, Green River College and Tahoma High

One of Return Home’s cells, filled entirely with organic material, demonstrates what the terramation cells look like. Based in Auburn, Return Home is one of the few terramation companies in the world. They transform people into soil. File photo
What we talk about, or not, when talking about death

Puget Sound area organizations and businesses strive to normalize the topic of dying.

t
Climbing gym comes with a solution for the Federal Way community

“One of the most common complaints or issues that I see is that there’s not much to do in Federal Way.”

Key to Change student Eden Pawlos receives a private lesson from Seattle Symphony violinist Ilana Zaks at the Renton studio. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang /Sound Publishing
Key to Change opens doors in Des Moines for local young musicians

Second studio added to go with Renton location