What’s in an end-of-life plan?
“What could I possibly need to plan for at the end of my life?
This is a reasonable question that the team at EOL Blueprint Advisors gets asked a lot. I mean A LOT.
For many Americans, the end-of-life (EOL) period comes with an enormous number of decisions. And oftentimes a sick or dying person—or their loved ones—are forced to make these decisions in an atmosphere of intense emotion and without much time to thoughtfully consider an answer. This can be overwhelming and potentially lead to some regret.
Planning ahead for EOL can help prevent life-altering feelings of regret and disappointment because of poor decisions made with or on behalf of a loved one. The team at EOL Blueprint Advisors has heard stories about:
The use of treatment that caused suffering for a loved one because their EOL health care wishes weren’t documented and communicated in a way that everyone could understand and agree upon.
Missed opportunities to say good-bye because a caregiver was too overwhelmed or exhausted to meaningfully talk with their dying loved one.
Long-standing family rifts that developed because a key person was missed in a hastily constructed obituary and memorial service.
The loss of a precious heirloom because there weren’t clear discussions about what objects had emotional value and there wasn’t a clear plan and timeline for sorting through an estate.
EOL Blueprint Advisors wants to help minimize these types of issues, which can cause lifelong emotional and social problems, by helping Americans make, document, and communicate their key EOL decisions while they still can.
We help clients and their loved ones have meaningful conversations in advance of a hospice journey, and document important decisions in an customized EOL Blueprint document that offers step-by-step instructions on how to manage care for a loved one and their estate at the end of their life. The EOL Blueprint typically includes:
Definition of the loved one’s minimum acceptable quality of life.
Decisions made about EOL caregiving, including preferred home health agency, long-term care facility, and hospice provider.
Decisions made about the disposition of a loved one’s mortal remains, including preferred funeral provider.
Decisions made about memorializing a loved one following death, including providing an obituary, if desired, and contact information for placement of any death notices.
Contact sheet for key people who will help with the EOL plan.
Administrative checklists for managing key tasks following the death of a loved one, including location of important documents, legacy goals, and tips for managing online accounts.
The EOL Blueprint also offers guidance on how to care for someone who is in the last six months of their life, carefully explaining the anticipated stages of their EOL journey and their wishes for each step in the process. This is all packaged in a document that is delivered to the person in advance of their EOL journey or can be safely and securely stored on the web.
Ready to learn more about planning ahead for the end? Reach out to EOL Blueprint Advisors for a free consultation today.