when old and forgetful...

... and not able to tend to things that medical community deems basic necessities, those Daily Living Activities, we need to have a plan. I've been thinking about that quite a bit recently, as I do not think the aging Auntie has put serious consideration into her preferences. If she has, she certainly is keeping it a closely guarded secret, which is first cousin to making no decisions at all. In the manner of the ostrich hiding his head in the sand: if you don't see It, it can't see You, right?

Sadly the freight train won't stop barreling down the tracks when you close your eyes to make it disappear. We need to all have a plan. This is not the time to mention that the man who lives in this house does not. Though I have asked, the best answer is 'I hope it doesn't happen', which is probably even worse than sticking your head in a hole.

I recently read a little article about ways for saving money. There was one suggestion applicable to veterans, about a resource for care givers. Funds that are available for people who have been in the service, and needing assistance. Monies to help provide in home nursing or respite care.

A bit farther down in the article was The Hint that really caught my eye. Instead of adding onto your home, to provide housing for an aging family member, there is the option of putting Granny in a Pod. Similar to the pods you can have movers deliver to your house, for you to pack up all your worldly goods and then transport to the location of your choice. No one else is packing, abusing your stuff, and you get to do it at your leisure (more or less), then call the guys with the truck to have it relocated when ever.

Did you know you can get a pod designed for a residence? Me neither. Though I have long thought the solution to lots of housing problems is all those shipping containers sitting around rusting in ports, behind commercial businesses, used for storage or worse: empty. It would not take some college students looking for a project long to figure out how to make efficient use of the interior space, and engineer a basic plan that would transform an oversized bread box into safe housing.

I need to get busy paring down, letting go of 'stuff'', so everything will fit in a semi-trailer. I've actually seen the cargo containers, stacked high, in a residential setting, where someone was living in the boxes. You just need to figure out how to make them live-able, to suit/fit your needs. My bad knee tells me I won't be climbing stairs, so my pod will be much smaller, like the faddish Tiny Houses.