What is the optimal way to prepare for the day when you will need home assistance, but not medical assistance and be somewhat independent?

Make a list of all the daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal household tasks. Your list will depend on where you live, as well as what sort of home you have, house, vs condo, owned vs rented.

Which of the tasks can you easily do and which would it be better to hire out? Love your flowers beds but hate mowing, hire someone to mow the lawn.

Now make a list of personal chores and tasks along the same lines. Do you dread laundry and changing the sheets? Hire help. Hate cooking, get Meals on Wheels. Love cooking but hate shopping, get groceries delivered.

Look into transportation services before you need them. Start using them before you have to give up your licence.

Downsize. You do not have to move, but start clearing out the clutter. Purge your closet of clothes you never wear.

If if you have things you want to leave to friends or family, give them away now.

Write yourself a letter to your future self. In it remind yourself that you may not recognize when it is time for more care but you will accept the word of your POA when they tell you they are worried and feel you need more support or a community to look after you.

Have all your paperwork prepared, Will, POA, etc. Keep your financial paperwork in order. Have a list of your user names and passwords available for your POA.

I'm assuming you are referring to yourself here? Are you elderly or have a medical reason for asking this question? In taking care of 4 seniors over the age of 85 what I've learned is that it is not enough to have a plan — you need to practice being realistic and execute your plan *before* you think you need to. Once people slide into cognitive issues, physical issues or dementia, it is often too late and their LOs are left trying to fight with seniors who don't think they're ready for the "intrusion" of in-home care, insisting they can "take care of" themselves. I've done that with 4 of them and its exhausting. Most impaired elderly have to have their drivers licenses wrestled away from them in angry confrontations that cause lots of familial stress. No one ever thinks that will be them.

Just the fact that you are planning for "home assistance, but not medical assistance and be somewhat independent" signals you may already have a romanticized notion of how your sunset years will play out. I'm planning for worst-case scenario and if that doesn't happen then hurrah. I've been on this site for a little while and the amount of venting about parents in denial and stubbornness is astounding. The best thing you can do for yourself and your LOs is to not have a set expectation and be thankful every day (count your blessings) for whatever you can find in your daily life to be grateful for.

That being said, I know there are many commenters who will shortly give wise advice and great suggestions about long term care insurance, legal docs, financial planning, etc. Regarding in-home care I have used Visiting Angels with great success as companions for 2 of my senior LOs. As for the cost of using them for medical will require some research but who knows how much things will cost 5 or 10+ years from now. One thing I do not recommend: thinking, hoping, expecting an adult child or sibling or cousin or neighbor to care for you. Read the comments under Caregiver Burnout. Bless you for having the wisdom and humility to plan!

Do your paperwork now and put all files in order. Appoint a power of attorney for both health and for financial care when you are unable to do this work yourself. Keep good records for the person who will do this for you, hopefully a family member. Be sure to discuss your wishes for end of life. For instance, do you want tube feedings if unable to eat. Put these instructions in your advanced Health directive. Discuss with your MD your wishes and have a POLST in your home forbidding EMT from doing CPR if you collapse at home. Get into a living situation that will provide for upgrading your care as you need it. Something like a village where you start in condo, go to apartment, go to assisted living and so on. Make certain your will and or trust is in order. Save all the money you can so it can be used toward your care, as money it will take should you need care. That's a beginning, but only that.