Whilst Cancer and other serious illnesses may not necessarily be terminal, receiving a diagnosis for such illnesses comes with huge personal and financial implications and brings with it the uncertainty of how your life will change, and sadly in some cases the uncertainty of how long you have left of your life. When forced to contemplate your own death, it is common to try to grasp back some control over the elements of your life that are within your power to do so. End-of-life planning can be one way in which you can gain some control over your future during this unsettling and uncertain period of your life. There are many ways in which you can legally protect your end-of-life plans.
Firstly, you can make or review your Will as part of your end-of-life planning. You may find that your wishes change in the face of your diagnosis, or you may need additional elements to your Will such as appointing a guardian for children under the age of 18. Other considerations may include leaving a legacy to a charity that has helped you during your difficult time, either medically, through personal support, or research into the type of illness that you have been diagnosed with.
Secondly, if you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, you may wish to make arrangements for your own funeral as part of your end-of-life planning. You may have strong beliefs about what your funeral should include or omit, or you may just wish to ease your loved one’s additional stress of planning your funeral once you have passed. In order to make sure that your funeral plans are legally binding, you are advised to make a Prepaid Funeral Plan. In this way, you can also ease the financial burden on your loved ones. Your plans will be costed and paid for in advance ensuring that you will receive the type of funeral service that you have arranged with no hidden costs for your loved ones.
Finally, you may wish to consider appointing a Power of Attorney to ensure that any important medical or care-related decisions are made by a chosen person, whom you trust to act in your best interests should your illness progress to the point that you are unable to make such decisions for yourself. Similarly, you could also make an Advance Directive to legally record and enforce your wishes for your end-of-life care, such as refusing life support.
Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services understand that receiving a diagnosis for a terminal or serious illness can be extremely distressing and unsettling. However, we offer a free initial consultation to discuss the best options for legally protecting your end-of-life plans. If you would like any further information on the services we offer, or to arrange your free initial consultation, contact us today whether in Colchester, or the surrounding area of Essex.
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