Welcome to The Club v3.4 Fall 2023

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In my work I often see families doing
their valiant best to follow the desires of
their senior loved one. “Mom would not
want that,” or “Dad said we would have
to drag him out of his house.”
These are conversations, and while
good they do not meet the standard
required to ensure that your wishes are
prioritized and your choices
are respected.
All reading this article
understand the need for a
Last Will and Testament,
a.k.a. A Will. This document
ensures your wishes are
followed after your passing.
So, why wouldn’t you apply
the same focus on your
wishes while you are still
alive?
A Living Will expresses
your wishes and desires
when you are less able
to do so for yourself.
Focused on care and end
A Path to Wellness
Self Advocacy and the Real Living Will Process
By Chris Treftlin, Shine at Home, Sarnia
SARNIA
of life direction, the Living Will can
be as important as your Last Will and
Testament.
Here is where I ask you to do
something more advanced than the
average, and who wants to be average
anyway?
Take a pad a paper and write down
Welcome to ...
all of the blue-sky things you want for
yourself in your senior years.
The list may look like this:
My Real Living Will
1. I want to live in my house as long as I
am safe. Spending money to ensure my
safety is approved. I wish to use all of
my resources to achieve this.
2. If I can no longer live at home then I
want live at this or that seniors living
community.
3. While alive I contribute to my church,
the Humane Society, the local Boys and
Girls Club. I wish this to be continued.
4. These are my interests, hobbies, and
on-going practices that I
habituate. Coffee in the
morning, and a drink of
whiskey after dinner. I hate
tuna fish.
Your list could be longer.
You get the idea. Let’s call
this a Real Living Will.
Now, how do I get
someone to ensure that
your Real Living Will is
respected?
You have documented
it. Now you have to find
the person, or people that
will make it happen.
With the document in
THE Club
hand, you review, then interview those
people in your life that would indeed
make this happen for you.
In most cases the family comes
around you and understands what you
want, and, importantly, commits to it.
Christine Wilson’s story
Chris was one of the residents in a
senior living community that I was
responsible for, more years ago than I
care to admit. She was a career teacher,
and never married or had children.
What she did have was awesome. She
had appointed three life-long friends to
take care of her affairs, as POA’s (Power
of Attorney) for care and finance, and
executrix’s of her Will. Christine took it
deeper. These ladies knew everything
one needed to know about the care
and feeding of Christine Wilson, and
they followed through for their friend.
Regular visits to Christine and regular
follow-ups with the community leader
team—Christine did it right.
So, there you are reader. I am offering
you a choice between your wishes
being respected and someone else’s
thoughts, ideas, and interpretation of
your wishes being the reality.
Here’s hoping you keep getting that
whiskey after dinner, and no one gives
you tuna fish...ever!
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Mobile Library Service
Library cardholders at long-term
care homes and retirement homes
in Lambton County can access library
materials through Mobile Library.
This service provides residents with
library materials delivered directly
to their location.
Call Sarnia Library at 519-337-3291
for more information about this service.
Punchline
Marty wakes up with a killer hangover. He opens his eyes, and sees a couple
of aspirin and a glass of water on the table. He sits up and sees his clothes
in front of him, clean and pressed. He then notices a note on the table:
"Honey, breakfast is on the stove. I left early to go shopping. Love you." He
goes to the kitchen and there is a hot breakfast and the morning paper. His
son is also at the table, eating. Marty asks, "Son, what happened last night?"
His son says, "You came home at 3 am, drunk and delirious. Broke some
furniture, puked in the hallway, and gave yourself a black eye when you
stumbled into the door." Confused, Marty asks, "So, why is
everything in order and so clean, and breakfast is on the
table waiting for me?" His son replies, "Oh that! Mom
dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take
your pants off, you said, ‘Lady, leave me alone, I'm married'!"
FALL 2023 Superstitions... It’s bad luck to leave a house through a different door than you came in. P A G E 17