Those who work in the field of estate planning and elder law must address all of the eventualities of aging. Preparing for these matters involves confronting the reality of death, and in many cases death is preceded by a period of full or partial inactivity and ill health. So it can be natural to consider aging to be synonymous with physical limitations, and it is true that you don’t see any senior citizens lining up in the starting blocks at the Olympic sprints. However, age alone does not prevent an individual from extraordinary physical accomplishments.
We will be passing some inspirational stories along to demonstrate the fact that opportunities for personal growth and achievement exist throughout your elder years. When you are planning your estate you are making sure that your affairs are in order so that your assets can be distributed according to your wishes when you die; but you are not planning to die. There is plenty of living to do, and this is the attitude that Bill Burke of Costa Mesa, California took with him when he started off toward the top of Mount Everest in 2009 when he was 67-years-old.
It was not the first time that Burke had attempted to reach the summit. In 2007 he made it to within 100 yards before turning back. He tried again in 2008 but had to be airlifted off the mountain due to a bout with pulmonary edema.
But he didn’t quit. He was not one to accept the notion that his age made it impossible for him to accomplish his objective. He went back to the mountain in 2009 and became the oldest American to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
You may or may not have goals this lofty, but when you are planning your estate and preparing for your elder years remember people like Bill Burke and don’t hesitate to pursue your dreams.
Mr. Nirenstein is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut and the United States District Court. He is a member of the Connecticut and Hartford County Bar Associations, and the Estate and Probate, Elder Law, Business Law and Real Estate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association.
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