Don't Wait to Discuss End-of-Life With Your Loved One

It’s so important – don’t wait to discuss end-of-life with your loved one.

For years before the passing of my father, I tried unsuccessfully to have a conversation with my siblings about the medical and financial needs of our aging father. When in his seventies, our father began suffering from dementia and other medical complications.  Because of his failing health I felt I should initiate this conversation since I had an especially close relationship with him.  My siblings just flat out refused to have the crucial conversation – they didn’t want to talk about end-of-life with me, with each other, or with our father. They were simply too busy with their own lives, so we put off the crucial conversation.

Death and dying are never easy to discuss, nor are they happy subjects to talk about. Typically, people look to avoid those conversations, but all of us, including our loved ones, will die one day, so being prepared is key. So when it came to my own family, I wondered, why wait? Unfortunately, we did not have the important discussions – if we had had the uncomfortable conversations and completed some paperwork, my family members and I could have gone back to the routine of living our best lives, secure i
n the knowledge that our affairs were in order.

When a family works together as a team, caregiving is taken to a different level as far as preparing for the “IF” there is a sudden and unexpected emergency.  When families are prepared for end-of-life, it does not take away the pain of losing a loved one. But, it will allow the family to come together as one, supporting one another, promoting family pride, and honoring the legacy of a loved one.

This article is part of the eFuneral Resource Center and was written by Carolyn A. Brent, MBA, author of the number one bestselling book Why Wait? The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Preparing Emotionally, Financially, & Legally for a Parent’s Death. Carolyn is committed to enhancing the lives of family caregivers and their aging parents throughout the world. Those thinking about end-of-life should visit eFuneral.com for help researching, planning, and arranging a wide variety of funeral-related services.