Four End of Life Planning Tips

Thinking about the end of your life is not an easy thing to do, but making advanced health care plans can give you a sense of peace and ease the burden on your friends and family. Even adults who are in good health should begin thinking about their last wishes and end of life arrangements, and this becomes even more important if you have been in declining health. By putting your wishes in writing, you can ensure that your passing is handled according to what you want. This makes it much easier for your friends and family to make healthcare decisions in accordance with your wishes and desires, and allows you to be certain that you are receiving the care that you want and need:

• Consider your current health conditions and their progression: If you have been diagnosed with a chronic or terminal illness, it’s important that you consider how it will affect your health as time progresses. Talk to your doctor and ask them about what kinds of issues and declines you might experience as your disease progresses. This information may help inform your strategy and goals for healthcare and end of life planning in Westchester, IL.
• Set goals for your care: Every person is different, and each individual will have different goals as they reach the end of their life. For some, they want doctors and medical professionals to do as much as they can to sustain their life, while others simply want to be as comfortable as possible over the course of their final stages. It’s important that you think about what you want and where you want to be. Would you be more comfortable in a hospital setting, or with in-home hospice care? You should also make an advance healthcare directive that describes what kind of treatment you want at every stage. You should detail which treatments and medical interventions you want and which ones you don’t. Make sure this is in writing and that everyone who is involved in your care is aware of it.
• Appoint someone to make decisions for you: As you reach the end of your life, you may find it difficult or even impossible to make decisions about your medical care and treatment. In this case, it’s important that you designate someone to make these choices on your behalf. Make sure this person understands your wishes and is aware of the terms for your advance healthcare directive. This may be a spouse, family member, friend or even a lawyer.
• Make your last wishes known: Even though it’s difficult, make sure you sit down with the people who are close to you and inform them of your last wishes. You should talk to them about how you want your medical care to be conducted and what you want for your funeral or memorial service.

For help with end of life planning in Westchester, IL, contact Marik-Baken Funeral Services Ltd. We have been providing our clients with compassionate and professional funeral and memorial planning services since 2006, and we continue to be deeply committed to assisting individuals and families with services designed to honor the life of their loved one. Give us a call today to get started with a consultation.

Categorised in: End of Life Planning

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