Owning your future is all about living well, planning early and wisely, knowing your options and taking action.

Most people look forward to retirement as a well-earned reward. However, the nest egg that took so many years to save can disappear rapidly if a person develops a need for long-term care. Studies find that about two-thirds of all Americans will likely need some type of supportive services after age 65.

Without advance planning, it can be difficult to arrange for the type and amount of care you might need. Thinking about care choices before you need them, gives you more options and more time to choose what is right for you and your family.

No one can determine the day when they will need long-term care services, but planning and preparation should occur years before the need.

• South Dakota has more than 100,000 residents age 65 and older, making the State eighth in the nation for oldest population.
• Three out of four respondents (74 percent) said ensuring a broad range of long-term care services should be a top priority for the state.
  *Source: AARP South Dakota "Long Term Care: A Survey of AARP SD Members"

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MESSAGE FROM
GOVERNOR DAUGAARD

We all live such busy lives and that makes it difficult to plan for next week, let alone plan for our future. Most of us don't like to think about aging and the day that may come when we need help with daily activities. In reality, many of us will need some form of long-term care. While the need for long-term care is a normal part of aging, the majority of us do not plan adequately for this need or the costs.

The State of South Dakota and the federal government are collaborating on a new initiative called “Own Your Future.” The primary goal of this initiative is to encourage people, between the ages of 45 and 65, to start planning for their future long-term care needs now, instead of waiting until it is too late.

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