What is your Plan B?

Over recent months I have been researching the practicalities of various elements of Living Legacy's signposting to other resources for end of life planning and succession planning and in recent weeks discovered the following.

The question keeps coming to me.... what if your first or second choices aren't available?

Earlier in the summer I discovered that the body donation programme I signed up to for after my death is not able to accept these donations at this time. This isn't financial contribution, but where my body is to go upon my death - to assist in medical research. So if my first option isn't available, my second option is to donate my brain to the brain bank. Yet they don't have the application forms yet ready.

So what if I had died yesterday? Realistically my family would have authorised my organs to be donated (as is my preference if my body cannot be accepted) but thereafter would they have remembered to have my body brought for resomation (water cremation) rather than that standard fire cremation? Would they know where to place my ashes?

I have documented my wishes and spoken to my loved ones about my decisions, but in the moment of grief and decision, would my wishes be remembered?

This is why it is vital to make sure everything is documented and clarified whether through an advanced healthcare directive, power of attorney, and also in an advanced planning pack. Make sure at least one person knows what you want, so if that person is overcome with grief, there can be a second person who can remind them.

When I speak to people about getting their end of life plans in place, many focus just on the will as priority, yet as we learned in our recent Living Legacy Conversations, there are so many elements of our life that we need to take stock of and clarify our intentions, that leaving things to others to sort without our guidance, or thinking that there will be some magic time that we will be both ready and have the headspace to consider getting our plans in place. The long we hold off starting on putting our plans in place, the deeper our clutter, the louder the noise from others opinions and the weight of burden in all we have to consider.

Starting now with your plans - regardless of the stage you may already be at - will really help you declutter your mind, declutter your home, and assess where you are at with your life, and who you want to support you.

If you have your Plan A in place, then what if that no longer becomes available? What is your Plan B?

How prepared are your loved ones for when something happens to you? How prepared are you for when something happens to them?

Four steps I encourage you to now take are as follows:

1. Bank Accounts - if you can, merge accounts with your partner/spouse. If you aren't comfortable doing so then make sure someone knows your bank details and the financial commitments you have made (mortgage, loans, credit cards, subscriptions, direct debits, standing orders, savings, investments, insurance policies, life policies)

2. Advanced Healthcare Directive - if you got sick today does anyone know what you don't want to happen to you if you aren't able to advocate for yourself? If you are in Ireland, check out Advance Healthcare Directive. If you are outside of Ireland, check your Government Health Department for further information.

3. Enduring Power of Attorney - in Ireland a new system was introduced last year. So far it seems to be well behind schedule in processing new registrations. Instead of it taking 3 days to process like in the UK, it is now taking over 9 months in Ireland. Crazy I know! While teething problems are inevitable, it is the lack of alignment between the two bodies (The Government's created service - the Decision Support Service www.decisionsupportservice.ie - and the Law Society of Ireland). Both entities are eager to get this process streamlined but each have identified kinks in the process but no clear plan as to how to resolve them. What this means is that for those in Ireland NOW is the time to start your Enduring Power of Attorney process, so it is in process as the intended resolution is taking a LOT longer than it should.

For those who don't know, the Enduring Power of Attorney (called Lasting Power of Attorney in UK and Power of Attorney in the US and elsewhere) is where you create legal agreements with chosen representatives (usually trusted people in your life) to take over managing your financial, medical, and business affairs, should you not be cognitively able to do so yourself. There is often a lot of confusion as to what this means, but in short it means, should you be in an accident, have a health issue, or at end of life, that your wishes will be acted out in accordance with the law to ensure your wishes are effectively represented. This can only be triggered once a doctor certifies you as incapable, so it is not something anyone else can trigger. Many people think this isn't necessary, citing a Will as the only document they need. Yet a Will is for your loved ones after you die, An Enduring Power of Attorney, is for your loved ones to know how best to support you while you are still alive.

Getting one in place can be a long drawn out process, so it is worthwhile familiarising yourself as soon as possible. In Ireland check out www.decisionsupportservice.ie.

In the UK go to UK LPA

In the US, for each State check out USA POA

For Australia, check out AUS POA

4. Your General End of Life Wishes.

I am pleased to have been recently certified as a Think Ahead Champion for the Irish Hospice Foundation so check out their think ahead pack at www.thinkahead.ie to download or order. If you want support to go through it book in a discovery call or sign up for a one-to-one coaching support at www.livinglegacy.ie I will also be launching a programme for community groups and organisations so make sure to get in contact at [email protected] so we can best support you and your team.

If you don't feel getting these plans in place is needed, I would ask you Why?

We don't get to know when our death will arrive, when an illness make take hold, so if you don't have the basics in place or any of the above, what will the impact be for your family? Have you spoken with them about this? How do they feel?

If you don't want to do your plans then how do you feel about them getting their plans in place? 

To consider how you feel about advanced planning, take part in our Survey

At Living Legacy we are here to help you overcome blocks and work through step-by-step. Each aspect of end of life planning is really an opportunity to take stock of your life plan and legacy building.

Let's have a chat to see how you can best get your plans in place. Book a call at www.livinglegacy.ie

I look forward to helping you navigate the journey.

Jen

Jennifer McConnell (Founder, Living Legacy)