‘Family Talk’ addresses long-term planning issues

It’s not an easy conversation, but it’s an important one.

All too often, older parents and their adult children avoid talking about long-term planning issues that affect the whole family: Do you have a will? Where are your important papers? What are your wishes regarding health care and living arrangements? Do you have advance directives?

The best time to have these conversations is not in a crisis situation — which often happens — but when families can discuss and plan thoughtfully.

An upcoming program from the Barrington Area Council on Aging will help families do just that. “Family Talk: How parents and adult children can start their discussion about the future” will help adult children and their parents talk about important long-term planning issues. The program will be from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway, Barrington.

Among the areas covered will be how to start the conversation; organizing essential information, such as medical, financial and insurance records; and discussing advance directives. Checklists and other resources will be available to attendees to help families better determine what they need to discuss.

To register, or for information, call BACOA at (847) 381-5030.