How COVID-19 is Reminding Us to Plan

by Rebecca Roberts Galloway | Apr 23, 2020

Around the globe, Covid-19 is reminding us all of our own mortality. The virus has brought both this stark reminder and the gift of a lot of free time to check things off our collective “to-do” lists.

Surveys show that though most of us agree it is important to discuss our end-of-life choices, only about a third of us really do it. But Kaiser Health News reports online planning sites have now seen a surge of traffic from interested families.

If you have a loved one who is elderly or sick, now is the time to get personal information and passwords, explains Clara Jeffrey in Mother Jones. Record family stories, get the names of doctors and medications, ask questions and don’t wait, Jeffrey says.

It was also recently National Healthcare Decisions Day, a time to update or complete your health care directives. If you or your loved one has dementia, there are resources specifically for you, as this guest article in the Eugene Register Guard explains.

So what should you do to get organized? There are many options out there including helpful checklists from our friends at Lantern, the Conversation Project and Vox offers an 8-step process. Solace also offers free and simple end-of-life planning documents on our website and you can get started with advance cremation planning with no payment needed.

Even doctors are reviewing their living wills, and you should, too, says a columnist in the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a palliative care doctor explained to Marketwatch.com, advance care planning can give every American the control and dignity they deserve at life’s end.

For many, having “the talk” with loved ones is a good place to start. There are many sites for getting started. Take a look at the Conversation Project or Death Over Dinner. Your conversations are likely going to be over the phone or Zoom, but even more than before, it is time to have them. And of course, we are always here for you, 24/7 at Solace.

Photo by Dmitry Zelinsky