We love the elderly people that we have in our lives, and the last thing you want to think about is their death. However, feelings aside, this is the wisest and most responsible thing to do. As we get older, we have to consider what needs to be taken care of during our lives so that once we’re gone, there are no complications whatsoever. This is why we’ve created this list to clarify what an elderly person needs to take care of before passing away.
A Living Will
When we think of preparation, we often only think of what happens after we die, but it’s just as important to make sure that you prepare a living will. Basically, this is a testament to what you would like to have happened should you fall sick and are unable to communicate. You can also give power of attorney to someone to make decisions for you during this time.
Employ an Estate Attorney
It’s important that you keep track of all your assets and get your finances in check and organized in order to write a will. This is why it’s so important to find yourself a reliable estate attorney in your area. Many of the elderly in Arizona in the US for instance, understand that getting an estate attorney takes a big load off their shoulders. According to a Scottsdale estate planning attorney from a well-known firm, it’s important to get your assets and finances taken care of with a seasoned lawyer in order to get all the legalities done correctly. It’s important that you find a lawyer that you can trust and rely on because you will be giving them quite a bit of your personal information to deal with. However, once you do, you’ll find that planning your will according to the law and getting all the paperwork done correctly won’ be a hassle for you at all.
Update the Will
If you’re someone who took care of their will at a younger age, then as you get older, it’s important to update the will according to any changes that occur in your life. You make want to change details in the inheritance, or you may have sold an asset and no longer have it. These details must be updated as they take place because you don’t want to risk having everything get messy after you’re gone.
Insurance
If you have a family that you’re worried about leaving behind, the best thing you can do for them, especially as you become older, is to ensure that you have life insurance taken out. By doing so, responsibilities such as debts, childcare, and education and housing should be taken care of if you plan it correctly. Even if you don’t have a family, there are always loved ones in your life that you care about, and taking our insurance always lends a helping hand.
Funeral Preparations
This can be quite morbid, but it needs to be done, and you can make it into something that you could perhaps enjoy. If nothing else, you’ll be saving friends and family the stress of having to make these preparations themselves should something happen to you. Make sure that you have your burial details taken care of. The method of burial, if you want to be cremated, and the location as well. Take care of all the expenses that are involved, such as the reception and any extra fee that may come up. It’s important that you leave these details, receipts, and information with a person that you can rely on and that you request to take care of everything once you’re gone.
Unfinished Business
As you get closer and closer to old age, you tend to realize that life has passed you by, and you’ve lived it the best way you could. However, it’s important to come to terms with the fact that sometimes, we all make mistakes and we all have unfinished business that we need to take care of with people from our past.
You don’t know for sure when you’re going to die, but you do know that you don’t want to leave any regrets behind. So call up any people that you may have issues with and bury the hatchet, make your peace, and move along with a lighter load on your shoulders.
We’re all going to get old and this is inevitable. It’s what we do about it that really makes all the difference in our lives and our death and the people around us that get affected by it. Make sure to really keep the points mentioned here in mind, whether you’re a senior person yourself, or know someone who is.