My mother is 99, and enjoying life in a very nice retirement community in Santa Barbara.

How wonderful! Give her a YGG for me. It's important to remember that "life expectancy" as used in this discussion is a macro concept. Each body has its own shelf life.

It's also important to remember that while death will surely come, modern medical miracles have greatly increased the possibility of an extended decline rather than "quick consumption," which is what they called waking up dead in the 19th century. One part of planning for the possibility is financial. Your mother's lifestyle doesn't come cheap. I've seen Medicaid assisted living. It ain't pretty.

Even more important is acknowledging that care may become necessary. By way of example, I won't be picking my aunt up for lunch today. I'll be visiting her in the hospital, where she landed yesterday after her housekeeper found her lying in the hall after a fall. My aunt has steadfastedly refused to consider the possibility that she couldn't live out her life alone in her house. The doctor now says "no way," and her sons are now frantically trying to figure things out before Medicare boots her from the hospital. And that could happen before I get there to see her mid-afternoon. Medicare hates those weekend hospital stays.

Phil
Rule Your Retirement Home Fool