But talking openly about death can be one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love. If your loved ones know your wishes for your end of life itself, and also the subsequent funeral or celebration of life arrangements, it will make things so much easier for them when that time eventually comes. Whereas if there has been no discussion at all, families can be left facing a lot of big decisions during what is already one of the most difficult times of their lives.

Some of the most important things to talk about with your loved ones are:

• What kind of end-of-life care you’d ideally want or would wish to avoid;
• Where you would want to die, given the choice;
• Your preferences and wishes for a funeral, celebration of life, and/or scattering of ashes;
• Who you would trust to make end-of-life decisions for you if you are not able to do so yourself.

Even a general discussion or sharing of thoughts on the above issues can be very helpful when the time comes. But there are also a few simple but more formal measures that you can put in place should you choose to do so. 

Four simple steps for end-of-life planning

Four of the measures that you may want to put in place to ease your end-of-life care are:

• Create an Advance Care Plan

Any individual can create an Advance Care Plan – ACP – to plan for their future care. An ACP enables a person and their loved ones to explore what matters most to them in life, how this might change if they become ill, and what kind of care and treatment they would want. 

You can also specify your wishes about where you would ideally want to die : whilst 45% of people in the UK die in hospital, around 25% die in their own home, surrounded by family and comfort. So if this is important to you, it could be included in your ACP to see if it is possible at the time.

Check with your GP or NHS Trust about the best way to create an ACP. They may be able to provide you with an ACP form to guide the process.

• Appoint a Power of Attorney

Another aspect of advance planning is to appoint one or more people you trust as your Power of Attorney. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document which enables your appointed attorney(s) either to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf if you have lost the mental capacity to do so.

There are 2 types of LPA:

• Health and Welfare : this would give your attorney(s) the power to make decisions about your personal and medical care, moving into a care home, and life-sustaining treatment. It can only be used when you’re unable to make your own decisions.
• Property and Financial Affairs : this would give your attorney(s) the power to make decisions about money and property for you, such as managing bank or building society accounts, dealing with bills and benefits, or selling your home. It can be used with your permission as soon as it’s registered.

You can choose to make one type of LPA or both. To find out more about how to set up an LPA, check out our Power of Attorney page.

• Set up a funeral plan

Many people have found it reassuring to set up a pre-paid funeral plan when they feel ready to do so. This enables you to think through and specify the kind of funeral options that you would want when the time comes, and gives you the peace of mind that your family won’t have to make decisions while grieving.

A funeral plan also enables you to cover the cost of your funeral in advance, and protects you and your family against rising costs. When you set up the plan you have the reassurance of knowing that the cost of your funeral is covered and will not increase, regardless of future increases in the cost of dying.

Trusted providers like Funerals With Grace offer a range of personalised funeral planning options. Whether you’re thinking of a simple, traditional, or unique farewell, they can help guide you gently and compassionately through the process.

• Write a simple will

A will is an important legal document which enables you to confirm what you would like to happen to your estate after you die. Your estate covers everything you own, including property, money in bank or building society accounts, shares or investments, life insurance policies, any money owed to or by you and all your personal possessions.

Making a will is a helpful and considerate step to take for your family, as it ensures that everything is made clear for them and enables your estate to be sorted out quickly and without complications. If you die without making a will, this is called being intestate and your estate would then be subject to legal Rules of Intestacy. What then happens to your estate depends on your domestic situation, which can sometimes lead to disputes within the family : the last thing that you would have wanted.

For help and guidance on writing a will, take a look at our wills page.

We hope that the information in this article is a helpful introduction to planning for the end of life. Always remember that preparing for death needn’t be anything to fear. Instead, it’s all about care. It’s an act of love that will lift a huge burden from those you love, and which will offer them comfort and clarity when they need it most. 

By following the simple steps we outline above, you can plan ahead with kindness, and help the people you leave behind to focus fully on celebrating you, free from burden and worry.

And for further support and guidance with any aspect of end of life planning, remember that With Grace is always here to help.