No matter what part of life you are in, you are planning. You plan for school, for further education, for your job, for your home – there’s always something to plan for. Have you considered that you should plan for your death as much as you plan for your retirement? Everyone knows that it’s a part of life and it happens to every single one of us, but why don’t we talk about it more openly?
Well, death scares many of us. The idea of planning for the end is a morbid one, and yet it’s one of the most important plans you could make. It puts your mind at ease to know that you have paid for funeral directors and flowers, coffins and food for after the ceremony. Death is something to mourn, but planning your funeral is your chance to plan a celebration of your life. You have to consider how you want to be cared for in the later stages – if you need to be cared for, that is. You should think about planning the legal stuff, the financial stuff and all the practical things that need to be done before you go.
There are five things that you should think about in particular when it comes to planning ahead for your eventual death, and you shouldn’t wait to plan any of it. No one can tell when death will come, so plan early to be ready.
- Legal & Financial. Try not to leave any mess behind for family to handle. If you have a Will written, then people will know what to do after you die. This way, there will be no arguments and disputes about who gets what from your estate.
- Personal Decisions. Organ donation is a necessity for those waiting for help. If you are dying or you have died, you no longer need those organs and you should opt to donate if you can. If you don’t want people to have your spare parts, then consider donating your body to science.
- Funeral Decisions. Everyone has an idea of what they would like to do for their funeral. Some people want to be cremated where others would prefer a burial. You need to know what you want here, as you deserve the send off that’s right for you. This isn’t just the saying goodbye, but the songs, the poetry or even the prayers.
- Hospital Choices. If you are in hospital and on life support, do you want the plug pulled or do you want the chance to live longer on machines? These choices are as personal as organ donation, and you should ensure that someone close to you knows what you want so that you can get the best outcome.
Planning ahead will get you the outcome that you want for your death, and you can ensure that it truly is everything that you could want. Take the time to plan properly and there will be no surprises when it comes to the event.
