It may be an uncomfortable topic. But, it’s one many people need to have especially now.
“We’re all terminal. At some point or another obviously we’re all going to pass away. It’s not a topic that anyone likes to discuss. However, we do find families that go through that pre-process of planning, it’s really a gift to their families,” explained Chris Remely, the director at the Dokken-Nelson Funeral Home.
In a time of so much uncertainty, there’s some things that you can be certain about.
“Your kids need to know what your wishes are. The family that’s going to be taking care of you if something were to happen, they need to know. So that’s the biggest line of communication that needs to be open is letting your family know what your thoughts and wishes are,” Remely said.
With so much unknown about the coronavirus or how we’ll individually react to it, it’s a good time to think about the future.
“When it comes to planning for incapacity, that’s a time period where you’re no longer, either temporarily or permanently able to make your own decisions regarding healthcare affairs or financial decisions,” explained Janice K. Whetstone, an estate planning attorney.
A few years ago, one woman, who wishes to remain anonymous went through the process of burying her mother, who had everything preplanned.
“It was sad but it was a tremendous help and appreciation that my mom prepaid everything. You’re going to naturally grieve over losing a loved one. But the stress was taken away from worrying about finance,” she said.
The funeral home offers free books to fill out with all your information and wishes.
“It’s really a great guide because you can put your wishes down in it but it also kind of helps you through the process of what are some things you might want to consider,” Remely said.
Starting the process can be as simple as filling one of these books out or maybe just writing out your plans privately and letting someone know where it is.
