On this episode of The Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast, I spoke with Annalee Kruger, President of Care Right Inc. and author of The Invisible Patient about how creating an aging plan can save time, money, and stress.

💡 Key Takeaways

🔹 Start the conversation early. Hold family meetings that include every stakeholder.

🔹 Family members should clear on the parent’s wishes and goals are.

🔹 Build the right team. Engage qualified senior-care consultants and verify how they’re compensated.

🔹 Understand the true costs and safety factors of aging at home vs. facilities.

🔹 Do your due diligence. Review care-facility complaint records and service histories.

🔹 Make caregiving sustainable. Accept limits, share responsibilities, and give yourself grace.

🔹 A clear aging plan turns potential crises into calm coordination.

💭 Tony’s Take: Preparing an aging plan isn’t just about logistics—it’s about dignity. When families align on values and advisors guide with empathy, everyone wins.

 🎥 Watch this episode below: 

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🎧 Listen to the podcast below or on your favorite podcast app.

Connect with Annalee Kruger: 

• Care Right, Inc. Website (here)
• LinkedIn (here)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carerightincorp/

Books: 

• The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers: How to Plan Ahead and Save Time, Money, and Stress (Amazon) (book website)

Resources mentioned: 

• Care Right E-Grab and Go Binder: https://carerightinc.com/e-grab-and-go-binder/
• Carescout Cost of Care Calculator: https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care

Bio:

Annalee started Care Right Inc, a VIRTUAL consultancy, in 2011, after working in Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC's) for 22 years. Annalee Kruger has devoted her career to guiding family caregivers and their aging loved ones with decisions about aging, dementia progression, the landscape of senior care, considerations of aging at home, helping outline current and future care options, helping families determine their "safety triggers" for when parents need care/more care and the aging at home care budget to prevent families from not qualifying financially to gain admission into a quality care community.

She is a national speaker on aging, caregiving, dementia, family dynamics/mediation, and end-of-life. Major financial services conferences she has presented at: IWI, FPA, NAPA, NAIFA, AICPA, CIMA, Truist, D.A. Davidson, and many other conferences in the healthcare/senior care industry.

She authored, The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers.

Annalee also offers training packages for the financial services and healthcare industries—which include in-person, webinar, and masterminds.

She also created the Aging Strategy Coaching Academy (ASCA), the first ever global coaching program that PROPERLY addresses aging, family caregiving, dementia/chronic illness, the landscape of senior care, dying, grief, and much more.

Annalee also created the Elder Planning Specialist certification program, specifically for CFP’s who want to earn a certificate to better identify and address the needs of their aging book of business.