Knowing that a loved one has a limited time left before they pass is not an easy thing to deal with. This could be due to illness or simply old age. In any case, while preparing for this death can be painful, it can also help make sure everything is handled correctly and can make the process easily to cope with once the time comes. Directors of funeral homes in Belvidere, IL. have these tips to help prepare for a loved one’s passing.

Have a Family Meeting

It is important to discuss with your family what will be happening and who will handle what roles. As uncomfortable as this may be, it is so important to ensure everything gets handle with the proper care and attention. If you have family that lives further away that will also be involved, you could have a meeting digitally with conferencing software such as Zoom. During this meeting, it is important to cover things such as:

• Who will be responsible for making the funeral arrangements?
• Who will be the main caregiver?
• Who will help to handle their affairs and making sure they are all in order?
• How will their memory be honored?
• Are there any special final wishes the loved one has and who will ensure those happen?

Make sure to note everything that is said and assigned so there are no questions or confusion once the time comes.

Gather All Important Documents

Making sure you have all the documents you need completed and organized can go a long way in helping everything run smoothly later. Some of the documents you should have are:

• A Power of Attorney (POA) – This document allows you the right and legal authority to make decisions on behalf of your loved one. These decisions can be financial and/or medical should that become incapable of doing do.
• A Will – This document is important as it outlines any final wishes your loved one has as well as how they want their estate to be handled and divided.
• An Advance-Directive – This document will outline any wishes your loved one has when it comes to their end-of-life care. This also includes things like DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).
• List of Passwords – Having a list of your loved one’s passwords will help immensely when trying to handle their accounts
• Any paperwork from cemeteries or funeral homes – If your loved one preplanned any arrangements, make sure to have any and all paperwork and contracts

Spend Time With Them

Having all the right documents and information signed and gathered is important, but the most crucial thing you can do is make time for your loved one. Spend as much time as you can visiting and talking with them. Ask questions about their childhood and how they grew up. Who was their best friend? What did they enjoy doing? Learn all you can about who they were and what their life was truly like.

This is also a great time to listen. They may want to talk about things they regret or their fears about passing on. Be there to listen and offer your support and comfort.

Taking these measures will ensure when the time comes for services from funeral homes in Belvidere, IL, you and your family will be prepared and can focus on honoring your loved one rather than trying to organize everything they left behind