From happiness and excitement to confusion and anxiety, planning for your future almost always brings about conflicting emotions. On one hand, you’re looking forward to enjoying retirement. On the other hand, you’re likely concerned about your long-term health and independence.
As you begin making plans, it’s natural to have plenty of questions. In an effort to help you better understand your choices and the plans available, we sat down with Sun Health at Home membership counselor Joshua Freegard, an experienced financial advisor.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
Before coming to Sun Health, I worked as a financial advisor in Surprise and Sun City, Arizona, for 15 years. Retirees comprised about 50 to 60 percent of my customer base, so I have a strong understanding of the most common needs of older adults.
What is a membership counselor, and what do you do?
As a membership counselor, my job is to educate people about Sun Health at Home, as well as conduct workshops, seminars and community outreach. I also meet one-on-one with members and prospective members and provide support during enrollment.
Say that I’m newly retired and I’m in great health. I don’t think I’m ready to start planning long term just yet. Why should I?
Great question. My question in return is, what are you not ready for? Are you not ready to move into an independent living community? Are you not ready to move into an assisted living or skilled nursing facility? Sun Health at Home is for those who are not yet ready for a major change but who want to be prepared for whatever the future holds.
Because the program requires financial and medical qualification, it’s important to be proactive. While you may not be ready to change your lifestyle, everyone needs a contingency plan. From a financial planning perspective, we want to make sure that the program is available to help you stay well and to help you as your needs change.
How should I prepare for my first meeting with you?
Generally, there will be multiple meetings before we enroll someone. We start with basic discovery to better understand your current lifestyle, where you’re living and what’s important to you, so we can identify the best way to keep you independent, confident and safe. The first few discussions will help us introduce the program to you and assure you have all of your questions answered. You may also want to include an adult child or a professional advisor in these initial discussions.
When you are ready to apply to the program, the next step is to gather financial information about your assets and monthly income and expenses that will be used to financially qualify you for the program. Our application process also includes a medical qualification process, which
includes a review of your medical records and a few simple screening tests conducted by our Wellness Coordinator in the comfort of your own home.
I already have a financial advisor whom I’ve worked with for many years, and whom I trust. Is there any need for me to speak with you, too?
Accountants, estate planning attorneys, lawyers and financial advisors are all great to have because they understand other facets of your life. Sun Health at Home can educate you on some of your options in planning for your long-term care.
Our work is about mitigating the potential loss you might experience if you find yourself in need of long-term care. How will you pay for long-term care if you need it? Most people pay out of pocket, through some form of long-term care insurance plan , or a combination of both. That can mean using 90 percent of your assets, and you might not have enough to cover you for your full lifetime, especially as costs continue to rise.
By working directly with Sun Health at Home, you will mitigate that cost by prepaying for your wellness, health care coordination and long-term care needs, all which will be provided in the comfort of your home . Therefore, you’re paying for tomorrow’s long-term care in today’s dollars.
Already having a financial advisor is a valuable asset and shows you are someone who plans ahead. Of course, we’ll involve that person according to your wishes throughout the planning process.
If I’m a member and I need the help of a caregiver, would that be an extra fee?
It’s not an extra fee. When you become a member, your plan covers many home-based caregiver services that can assist you with activities of daily living including companion services, personal care aide services, health care aide services, homemaker services, transportation, meals, medication management and more. Each member receives services that are coordinated for them by their personal Wellness Coordinator, up to the daily coverage limit as indicated by the membership plan they selected at enrollment.
Once I become a member, how will I stay connected with Sun Health?
The heart of Sun Health at Home is our wellness coordination team. Once enrolled, each member is assigned to a personal Wellness Coordinator who they can reach out to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This person is available anytime you have questions, concerns, a lifestyle change, or if you are facing an emergency situation. Additionally, we have a personal emergency response system to help keep members safe in their homes. Members can access a number of wellness programs including consultation with registered dietitians and exercise physiologists and health education programs. Our goal is to keep you well and to support you in maintaining your health.
Finally, we offer member events so everyone can stay socially active and get to know each other. We have meetings and gatherings at some of our beautiful communities, where you can come and experience our dining venues and activities.
Interested in learning more about Sun Health at Home and our membership benefits? Sign up for a free discovery seminar today!
