Discussing the end of life is never a favorite topic. However, it is important to think about how you want your end of life care to be handled and to ensure you set up your estate planning to reflect your wishes. If you have not yet discussed your end of life care with your children, make this an upcoming priority. Think about how you want your medical decisions handled and who you want to be your power of attorney. Sit down with an estate planning attorney to draw up the right legal documents to ensure your wishes are upheld.

Finally, sit down with your children to talk about your end of life care. If this feels like an overwhelming task, we have put together a few tips to help you out. Having this conversation will be extremely beneficial for both you and your family. Remember, if you need an estate planning attorney in Weber County or surrounding areas, we can help. At the ElderCare Law Firm, we treat our clients like family and our goal is to help ensure your assets are protected and your wishes are upheld.

Prepare Your Family For The Conversation

Before you spring this delicate conversation onto your kids, prepare your family for the conversation. For some people, talking about end of life care can be extremely difficult and it might not be something your kids have thought about. Approach the topic by first bringing it up and requesting a time to talk about your wishes. By asking your kids if they would be ok with discussing the topic, you give them time to process what it will entail.

Set up a designated time to talk about your end of life care. This will allow your kids their own space to think about the topic before they sit down with you. This can help make the conversation less emotionally charged and will give you time to prepare as well. If you get pushback from your kids about discussing your end of life care, try to gently remind them that it is an important topic for anyone at any stage of life.

Choose The Right Setting

When you sit down to talk to your kids about your end of life care, make sure you pick an appropriate setting. The family’s fourth of July party might not be the right time to bring up how you want your hospice handled or who your power of attorney will be if you wind up incapable of decision making.

Instead, opt for a quiet and comfortable setting with plenty of time designated for the conversation. Before you start the conversation, do a little preparing yourself. Think about all the details of how you want your end of life care handled from who will be in charge of decision making to what finances you want used. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be to explain your wishes to your loved ones.

Listen But Stick To What You Know

When you talk about end of life care, it can be an emotional conversation for your kids. Be prepared for pushback on your wishes. For example, if you have a legal order written up in your estate plan that requests the doctors do not resuscitate you, your kids might balk at this, not understanding your perspective.

Be patient with loved ones and hear out their requests and wishes as well. However, always remember that your medical care is ultimately in your hands and you should be allowed to choose how things are handled at the end of your life. Listen respectfully but emphasize what you are asking for and why it is important to you.

Talk To An Estate Planning Attorney

When it comes to end of life care, you need more than a will to protect you. Talk to an estate planning attorney who specializes in elder law to ensure you have all the documents you need in order. An attorney can walk you through the details of creating an estate plan, which will protect your assets, determine a power of attorney, and dictate how your medical care is handled if you should be incapable of decision making.

At the ElderCare Law Firm, we care about our clients and understand how difficult conversations surrounding the end of your life can be. We are here to patiently guide you to ensure your wishes are honored. Talk to us today about estate planning and how you can ensure your end of life care is handled appropriately.