Planning ahead can difficult but provides peace of mind, ensuring your final wishes are fulfilled, and saves your family from the burden of making decisions for you.
Research reveals while nearly nine of ten Australians agree that planning ahead is important, only a third actually do it. Many simply don’t know where to start or understand the choices available.
Start with a conversation. Whether it’s over a relaxed coffee, during a quiet walk, or in a comfortable space, starting this conversation with your family can begin with a simple question or statement to gently introduce the topic.
Remember, some may find this confronting, and others will be more open to the conversation. Below are some gentle conversation starters to help you get started:
- “I know it can be difficult, but it’s really important to me…”
- “Thinking about the future, I’d really like you to know what matters most to me in planning for end of life. Is that something we could talk about together?”
- “I care about making sure everything feels right for me at the end. Would it be okay if I shared my thoughts on what I would like when the time comes?”
- “I’ve been thinking about ways to make things easier on our family in the future…”
- “When the end of my life approaches, I would like…”
- “I want to be able to make decisions about any treatment and care I may need, but if I’m no longer able…”
After you have started this conversation, we’re here to help.
To have our friendly client services team guide you through the steps of planning ahead, please contact us.
