Planning Ahead

Most people don't like thinking about, let alone actually planning for, the end of their lives. The legal aspects of end-of-life planning are confusing, even for those who think their wishes are clear (see How Clear Are Your Last Wishes). Fortunately, there are many resources on the web that can help to make the process more understandable. Here are a few to check out:

1) The Mayo Clinic: has definitions for living wills, advance directives, and treatment decisions that need to be made

2) Caring Connections: program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has links to state-specific documents and information on how to talk with your loved ones

3) Five Wishes: a popular living will document with easy-to-understand language