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How Do I Want to Live: Making a Care Plan for My Future

Planning for elderhood once meant writing a will and that was sufficient. But those days are gone. Our lives are not only longer today, but also more complicated. In order to stay independent in our decision making and not be rushed in the event of a life crisis, it’s essential to plan ahead.

Advanced care planning brings peace of mind and is a great gift to those who love you. But it can be hard to carve out time to reflect on how we want to live. That’s why TRAIL of Johnson County is offering an opportunity for local seniors to take the time to think about what is important, how you want to live, ideas for starting meaningful conversations, and an action plan for making those wishes a reality.

“How Do I Want to Live: Making a Care Plan for My Future” will be presented at the Iowa City Public Library on September 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2024. In these four related workshops – all open to the public and free of charge – TRAIL will help you explore ways to realize your plans and communicate with your support teams, including family, friends, health care providers, and others. Although not comprehensive, these sessions are a starting place for some and a time for others to evaluate the plans they have in place. Attending all four sessions is strongly encouraged; you can register for all four on the ICPL website: www.icpl.org/events/55007/how-do-i-want-live-making-care-plan-my-future-part-14. 

Each two-hour workshop includes time to reflect, write ideas, share in small groups, and set goals for moving forward. Experienced speakers will share how they have witnessed, either personally or professionally, the outcomes that result from a well-thought-out plan -- and also what can happen when no plan is in place.

  • Workshop 1 builds the rationale for what makes a good plan. It includes time to think about the activities that give you energy and engagement – both valuable results of staying active. Our speaker will be Sarah Neary, MSW, Oaknoll Retirement Residence.
  • Workshop 2 features two speakers who will discuss what plans need to be in place. TRAIL member Joni Jones will share how her good planning impacted her when she faced a medical emergency. Samantha Norris, an attorney for the BrownWinick Law Firm, will explain why legal documents need to be in place and up to date with your wishes.
  • Workshop 3 will address making your plan known to the people you have identified and starting those conversations. We will talk about support teams – who you have in place and who you might add. Our speaker will be Sara Krieger, CEO, Iowa City Hospice.
  • Workshop 4 will focus on how to determine your medical proxy and how to advocate for yourself in the medical system. Participants will create a rough draft of their next steps in the planning process. 

These workshops were first presented for TRAIL members in October 2023. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response from attendees, TRAIL is making the 2024 workshops available to the public as a community service. This series is co-sponsored by the Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City Senior Center.