By Shannin Prather
July 2023 | 2023 Summer Newsletter
No one ever plans to become sick or be disabled, yet planning can help ease the journey through an emergency and end-of-life. Preparing and having important documents in a single place can help create peace of mind, ensure wishes are honored, and lessen the strain on your loved ones.
This checklist may help guide you through the preparative actions you might want to take:
- Choose a trusted person to be your durable power of attorney to make financial and health care decisions on your behalf
- Create an advanced directive to provide instructions for your medical care, which will only go into effect if you cannot communicate your own wishes
- Gather all important papers, birth certificate, Social Security number, copies of legal documents, bank information, and titles to all property into one secure location. Tell someone you trust where to find this information
Most states provide advance directive forms for free, and you can complete them yourself. Recording and sharing your decisions can help your loved ones during a stressful time and best ensure your wishes are understood and respected.
For information and referrals that can assist with emergency and end-of-life planning, speak with a Community Resource Specialist by calling the Sourcewise Information & Awareness program at (408) 350-3220, option 1.