Sharing my final wishes with my loved ones
Thinking and talking about our own death can be hard. Many of us will be concerned about upsetting loved ones or ourselves.
It may help us feel some sense of control if we think now about how we’d like things to be after we’re gone. Perhaps more importantly, it might ease the pressure on our family when that difficult time comes.
- Sharing your final wishes with loved ones
- The type of funeral you want
- Funeral costs
- Writing a will
- Prepaid funeral plans
- Commemorating your life
- Creating memories
Sharing your final wishes with loved ones
The ideal time to talk to your family about death is while you are still in good health. The conversation is likely to be less emotionally charged and more positive if you are well and enjoying life. However, even if you are in poor health, it is never too late. Many people who are approaching the end of their lives are relieved to have the opportunity to think and talk about what will happen to them when they die.
Tips for talking about your death:
- Plan what you want to say and try to be clear about your wishes in advance. Think about what your funeral means to you. You may not be able to control what happens, but you can influence some aspects of it.
- Choose a time when you can gather the people you want together and have a period of un-interrupted time without distractions.
- Consider whether you will approach the subject directly or indirectly. This will depend on how you think your loved ones will respond. A direct approach may include calling a ‘family meeting’ and letting them know in advance what you want to discuss so that they have time to prepare themselves. A more indirect approach may be to drop the subject into a conversation, perhaps by referring to the funeral of someone else who has died.
- Reassure your loved ones that you don’t want to upset them but also don’t want them to be burdened with having to make difficult decisions about your funeral without knowing what you would want.