Options You Can Choose To Prepare For Your Death

Human’s tendency to put death in the background amidst all of life’s noise begins to falter as the harsh grim reality forces itself back into the foreground. Age, sickness, trauma, and many other things remind us that we are more fragile than we think we are. Old Melanesians and Wari cultures believed endocannibalism, the act of eating the dead of the same species, to be an act of honoring the dead by forging a timeless connection between them and the living. The extent that humans would go to be able to cope with death knows no limits, subject of focus in many anthropological and philosophical circles. As grim as it may sound, accepting death to be a part of yours and others’ lives is essential to be able to move on. No one wants to prepare for their own death, but sometimes it’s the only right thing to do.

Leaving a Will or Testament

Even if we’re gone for good, we’d like to think that those who we leave behind will be able to get closure and try to enjoy their lives as much as possible. A will or testament is a legal document that allows the owner to dictate the transfer of ownership of the property to whomever they choose after their death. It also leaves room to choose a guardian to take care of the deceased’s children below the legal age. Even though it used to be written down by the will’s owner personally, it’s now recommended to let an attorney handle the technical writing of the will to properly navigate legal channels. If no will or testament is left before death, the state will be responsible for deciding the future of the property, according to each state’s laws.

The Medical Power of Attorney

It’s not uncommon for people nearing their time to grant a person of their choosing a written authorization known as “Power of Attorney” that allows them to manage certain aspects of your choice if you’re incapacitated or even after death. The person granted the authorization can decide while you’re unable to make decisions due to mental deterioration or from being in a coma, whether to continue treatment, allow visitations, move hospitals, and end-of-life decisions as long as none of the actions of the authorized person go against the will or testament.

Resting Place

Those who are religious may want to choose the place they are to be buried in, and it’s usually close to people who were close to them. Some may prefer cremation to burial, to be closer to those who loved them and are still loving their memory after they are gone. The urn chosen for the cremated remains is seldom changed unless the ashes are to be scattered, making it a few peaceful moments as one tries to decide on the shape or color they’ll be comfortable to call their final resting place. According to https://www.greenmeadowmemorials.com/, cremation is often less stressful than burials on family members and friends. Burial affairs can take an emotional and financial toll on loved ones, which is why many opt for cremation instead.

Pet Arrangements

Those who know that their time is very close should manage to arrange for someone to take care of their pet after they’re gone. Those who weren’t expecting their death probably haven’t thought about designating someone to take care of their pet. The problem is that pets are treated as property in the eyes of the law of some states, which can end up in them being put down. Arrangements can be made to create a pet trust that allows the owner to decide on a person to take responsibility for the pet after their approval. The trust will contain money specifically left for the required expenses of caring for the pet, which can be adjusted according to the owner’s needs.

Organ Donation

Donating organs after death is a symbolic way to breathe life into a dying body. Organ donation requires permission from the owner, and the best way to do so is by imprinting the authorization on the government ID or driving license. It’s important to note that some spiritual or religious beliefs may be against donating organs, or at least specific organs, so it’s recommended for the potential donor to discuss their choices with their spiritual advisor if they have one.

The stoic and calm approach to death is often the one that leaves us with the most options to prepare for it. Taking some extra preparations to make sure that your loved ones can remember you fondly without a lot of stress is always worth it. Technically speaking, every human is preparing for their death one way or another ever since they have been born.