Remember Me This Way
My dad died almost two years ago. Everything was in order. He had filled out his end of life checklist. There was no end of life concern. He was 97 1/4 years old. It was a long time coming and although we were sad when he died, we knew that the multiple problems associated with his long life had finally come to an end. He was so fortunate to have a wonderful wife, whom he truly adored, who gave us the comfort of knowing that everything she could do for him was the best that could be given.
Everything was in order. He had filled out his end of life documents. He had written down his final wishes. Again there was no end of life concern.
And so the journey is over.
And the new journey begins.
When a parent dies, even a very elderly parent, someone else becomes the elder of the family. It is a strange feeling to know that after 70 1/2 years, I am now the eldest of my family. My father had no siblings and my mother died in 2001. I am the eldest, older than my brother and of course much older than my children.
What are my responsibilities?
End of Life Concern
I think the most important thing I can do is prepare for the future. My husband and I have recently seen our elder law attorney and brought our wills, trusts and medical directives up to current standards. Note: from Wikipedia:
The specialty of “elder law” evolved in the 1980s as it became increasingly clear that the complicated legal issues confronting seniors – in particular qualifying for Medicaid coverage of long-term care – were beyond the expertise of general-practice attorneys.
We have filled out our Caring Is Not Enough books and our children know where they are. We have discussed our burial plans and have made arrangements for them.
It may be uncomfortable to think about and discuss the end of life, but it is prudent to do so.
Please make sure your final wishes and your end of life concerns are up to date, and please make sure that you have secured your personal information for when another needs it.