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Ensure your family member or friend gets the end-of-life care they want and deserve by prioritising planning and preparation well in advance of their passing.
Making an advanced care plan
- Confirming their wishes
Discussing death is always difficult. However, exploring and confirming the end-of-life wishes of your loved ones while they are still able to think and communicate with clarity is vital to ensuring they receive their preferred treatment in the lead-up to and after their passing.
Making an advanced plan for your loved one’s end-of-life care is recommended for many reasons, especially if they have a condition that will deteriorate over time. Having the conversation and agreeing on arrangements early gives your friend or family member more autonomy over their care and gives you more time to organise practical essentials like finances and the tools you’ll need to carry out their wishes. It also provides you with invaluable peace of mind.
- Funeral arrangements
A core part of the care plan will be the funeral arrangements. These are naturally incredibly personal, but you can still help by offering key information that will help inform their decisions.
Raise key factors from religious beliefs to more practical considerations such as cost, and confirm the type of service they would like – if they would like a service at all. Take them through the main options for funerals in the UK from direct cremations without a service to traditional burials and clarify their choice. You should also discuss details like location, music and readings.
- Legal considerations
Ensure you can carry out the wishes outlined in your loved one’s advanced care plan by considering the legal requirements of the end-of-life process. If they pass without a will, you won’t have control over the division of their assets, even if their bequests are written down in another document. Help them write and validate a will or check that their existing will is up-to-date.
There may come a time when your loved one is unable or unwilling to make their own essential decisions. Asking them to give a trusted person lasting power of attorney means vital choices can be made on their behalf for their well-being. From managing their estate to arranging social care, the attorney can control all personal affairs which can be key to delivering the best end-of-life care.
- Financial planning
End-of-life care and processes can be expensive. Medical costs soon add up, and living assistance requirements like home alterations and social care often require immediate substantial pay-outs. Funerals can cost thousands too, depending on the chosen service.
Encourage your friend or family member to put aside end-of-life savings consistently while they can, and consider doing the same yourself to cover unexpected costs. This might look like making bigger monthly contributions to pensions or building dedicated savings pots that can be accessed instantly. Your loved one may also wish to consider options such as life insurance that can provide immediate financial support for dependents upon their death.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post