End-of-Life Planning

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At some point, every person who is born is going to die. It may be after a long illness or it may be sudden and completely unexpected. Despite our best efforts to take care of ourselves, exercise, or eat healthily, we can't control how and when death will come. So how can we make sure that our wishes are honored at every stage of the aging and end-of-life 

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In the context of the Foundation,  making decisions about what will happen to you if you become incapacitated or suddenly die is incredibly important. It means controlling what you can control, while you are still able to do so. Commonly, this concept is often called "end-of-life planning.

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• Clarifying wishes about what happens to you;
• Filling out legal forms for doctors and family regarding your care preferences if incapacitated;
• Making decisions about the distribution of your money and property after death.

• Having difficult conversations with family members and friends about your wishes;
• Providing family or a trusted friend with important information about you.

• Ensuring family members know about bank accounts, investments, life insurance policies and any other financial affairs;
• Making information accessible to those who will need it.

• Deciding on and communicating preferences for cremation or traditional burial and outlining any specific religious, cultural or spiritual practices that are important to you.

It's important to note that for married couples, it is often assumed that a surviving spouse has access to or knows what their spouse wants and where important information is stored, but in real-life situations that is often not the case."Responsible dying" means you have not only made the important decisions but have also made it clear where and how your family can access your legal documents if needed.

• In our lawsuit-filled era, hospitals and doctors need written authority for the health care of their adult patients (anyone over 18). Without this, doctors must follow procedures dictated by law, which may not be in your family's best interest. We've all heard stories of families torn apart by disagreements over the care of a brain-damaged relative or someone in a persistent vegetative state. Without written directives, such situations can destroy families.