Dear Angel,
I was hoping to talk about end-of-life wishes with my parents over the holidays. Do you know of any resources that would be helpful to guide me in starting the conversation?
Thanks for your help!
Weir Tobeegin
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Dear Weir,
You are doing a wise thing in initiating the end-of-life conversation with your parents. By making our wishes known and communicating them effectively, we remove the burden from our loved ones of making the deeply personal choices that will enable us to live our lives more fully to the end.
Here are some resources that I hope you will find helpful in starting the conversation:
Your Life Wishes – It starts with a conversation. >>
Whether it’s a baby on the way or your retirement plans, a family vacation, or your child’s college fund, having confidence in responding to whatever life brings you is often a matter of simple, timely, and thoughtful preparation. Your approach to end-of-life planning should be no different.
National Institute of Health – Preparing for End of Life >>
Few of us are comfortable talking about death, whether our own or a loved one’s. It is a scary, even taboo, subject for many. The end of a life, no matter how long and well lived, can bring with it a sense of loss and sadness. It can also be a reminder of our own mortality, so we may avoid even thinking about death. This is normal — but death is normal, too. All of us will face it at some point …
Go Wish >>
Go Wish is a card game which helps you find words to talk about what is important if you or a loved one should find yourself living a life shortened by serious illness. Playing the game with your relatives or best friends can help you learn how you can best comfort your loved ones when they need you most.
Deathwise Wise Conversations>>
Deathwise is passionate about motivating people to talk about, make decisions, plan for the end of their lives and then documenting their wishes in an advance medical directive to ensure their preferences are communicated to their medical services providers, family and friends.
Prepare For Your Care >>
PREPARE is a website that uses videos and stories to teach people how to identify their values and goals for medical care and to make medical decisions.
Conversations of a Lifetime >>
This website offers assistance on things you shouldn’t wait to say, how to start the conversation, and resources for taking action.
The Conversation Project >>
The Conversation Project has fostered a grassroots public campaign to make it easier to initiate conversations about dying, and to encourage people to talk now, and as often as necessary, so that their wishes are known when the time comes. The project’s user-friendly site offers a downloadable starter kit and other end-of-life conversation resources.
Hope these will be helpful for your conversation! Happy holidays and good luck!
Best wishes,
Angel
About Renee Eder
