Knowledge of a terminally ill loved one’s impending demise is one of the most difficult situations one can experience. Priorities shift overnight and questions about estate planning and insurance arise as plans are made for end-of-life care. One might think that having time to say goodbye somehow eases the pain, but handling loss is never easy.
If your loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, making end-of-life arrangements may feel unbearable but it will bring peace of mind to everyone involved. This guide from Stay Home Care highlights key preparations you ought to consider.
Facing Terminal Illness
A terminal illness diagnosis impacts both the patient and their loved ones. Facing this news is hard for anyone and people handle it differently. You may instinctively swing into action or go into denial. Either way, life has to go on. Before you can begin making any medical or legal arrangements, you must first face the situation and adjust to the new landscape of your life.
It’s helpful to create a support system that will help you and your loved ones deal with anticipatory grief. A support system may be in the form of sympathetic friends or a support group composed of people who’ve weathered similar situations. In the face of illness and impending death, you need help and support. Do not feel ashamed or embarrassed to reach out and express yourself in a healthy and constructive way.
Final Healthcare Arrangements
Do not be afraid to talk candidly with your loved one about what is happening. This will allow them to voice their desires, concerns, and preferences regarding their healthcare. Find out what sort of treatments your loved one prefers and where they would want to receive them. This will help you decide on the most suitable hospice care and develop a personalized plan of care.
You should help your loved one prepare a living will or advanced directive with the help of a seasoned attorney. This document will give clear directives on your loved one’s medical preferences in the event they are unable to communicate. Your loved one can also grant you the legal authority to conduct personal and financial affairs on their behalf in the event they become incapacitated by preparing a power of attorney (POA) document.
The Practical Arrangements
Making practical arrangements on legalities and finances during end-of-year planning may seem insensitive, but it is very important to conclude them before they become pressing. Consulting an experienced estate planning attorney can help your terminally ill loved one sort out any legal concerns or settle any issues on complex assets while they are still alive. The attorney should help you prepare estate documents such as last will and testament, healthcare directive, and power of attorney.
Selling the home of a loved one who has passed on may be challenging, especially if you harbor an emotional attachment to it. Trying to sell it without a will makes the process even more difficult and lengthy. If the plan is to sell your loved one’s house after their passing, you should make the necessary arrangements to make the sale as quick and painless as possible. Among the things you have to keep in mind is that it is a legal requirement by several states for sellers to disclose if there has been a death in the home. This knowledge will help you in deciding where your loved one should draw their final breaths.
In the aftermath of a terrible loss, everyone is bound to struggle – especially at first. Having a positive outlet for grief can be incredibly cathartic. For that reason, you might want to consider setting up a nonprofit to honor your loved one’s memory. This will allow survivors to focus on something positive and channel their feelings in a constructive, healthy way.
Final Thoughts
Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy but terminal illness makes it inevitable. In the face of such a diagnosis, the best we can do is offer support, provide comfort, and make the necessary arrangements to make the farewell peaceful and meaningful. As caregivers for older parents and young children, we’ve been in your shoes and know how challenging it can be to effectively manage these roles while also juggling careers and the busyness of life. That’s where Stay Home Care, a top provider of home care services in Brentwood and the surrounding areas, comes in. Owned and operated by two local businesswomen, and licensed in the State of Tennessee as a Personal Support Services Agency, we provide trusted home care assistance, offering the same high-quality, relationship-based care and wellness services we would expect for our own family.
For more information, please visit our website or contact us today!