Welcome Wisdom

Aging with Intention: Designing the Road Ahead

by Louie Handugan, Incoming Director of Care Management

 

Aging isn’t something that just happens to us — it’s something we can design with clarity, courage, and care.

I’m deeply honored — and honestly a bit overwhelmed — to join this extraordinary team and incredible agency. After nearly 20 years in hospice leadership, stepping into the role of Director of Care Management feels both like a privilege and a natural next chapter. My passion has always been person-centered care, and I look forward to bringing the lessons learned from walking alongside families in life’s most tender seasons into this new role.

 

Why This Series

Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting on what it really means to age with intention. Not just to grow older — that part takes care of itself — but to thoughtfully design what comes next. Maybe it’s because I see the realities of aging every day in my work, or because I’m now living through some of those realities myself. Either way, I’ve come to believe that planning ahead isn’t about trying to control the future; it’s about continuing to live with purpose as the landscape shifts around us.

This monthly newsletter series grows out of that reflection. It’s written not only by a professional in aging services but by a fellow traveler — someone asking the same questions, facing similar decisions, and learning, often in real time, what intentional aging truly looks like. Whether you work in senior care or are personally navigating your own aging journey, my hope is that these reflections speak to both the heart and the practical side of what it means to age well.

Each month, I’ll explore a theme that I hope helps shape both our perspectives and our practices in meaningful ways.

 

What We’ll Explore Together

We’ll begin by looking at The Shift from Reactive to Intentional Aging — that quiet but powerful moment when we stop bracing for the next crisis and start building a life by design. From there, we’ll dive into The Six Decisions Every Older Adult Should Make Before 80 — choices that may not always be easy but consistently bring peace and confidence long before they’re needed.

Future topics will explore how to Build a Support Team Before You Need One, how to Rightsize Your Life in every sense — home, belongings, risk, and complexity — and how to establish Financial Guardrails That Protect You in Life’s Later Seasons. We’ll also talk about Medical Decision Design: Advance Care Planning That Actually Works in Real Life, Family Alignment Before Crisis, and the deeper, often soul-level work of Redefining Identity and Contribution After Retirement.

As the series unfolds, we’ll also take a look at Preventing Avoidable Aging Emergencies and, finally, Your Endgame Plan: How to Script the Final Chapters with Dignity. My hope is that by the time we reach those conversations, you’ll see that aging intentionally isn’t about “the end” at all — it’s about designing every chapter with dignity and meaning. The truth is, the earlier we begin, the lighter our hearts feel. That’s what I call The Emotional Return on Planning Early — the quiet peace that comes from owning your story before someone else has to.

 

Looking Ahead

As I write each month, I’ll do so both as a care professional and as someone walking the same path — leaning on wisdom, grace, and, when possible, a sense of humor.

If you’re on this road too — whether you’re guiding others through it or navigating it yourself — I hope you’ll join me as we explore what it truly means to age with intention. Together, we can design the road ahead with purpose, clarity, and care.

In next month’s issue, we’ll explore what it really takes to make the shift from reacting to life’s changes to intentionally shaping them — one choice at a time.