The passing of a loved one is something no one wants to talk about, and it is normal and natural to avoid the topic because of the pain and panic it causes. But it is inevitable, and you need to consider having all the must-do’s in place before it happens. It is so much harder to make decisions and focus on the task at hand when you are grieving, and that can lead to costly and painful mistakes and bad choices.

Below are listed a few things that can be taken care of ahead of time and that will give you and your family peace of mind when the time comes.

• Advanced directive. An advanced directive explains how you want medical decisions to be made when you are no longer able to speak for yourself. These legal documents instruct your friends, family, and/or medical health professionals what your wishes are with respect to:

• What kind of health care you want
• Who you want to make decisions for you
• Designating a health care proxy. This is a document that names someone you trust to make health decisions on your behalf when you can’t. It’s also known as a durable power of attorney.
• A living will. This communicates which type of treatment you will want if your life is threatened, which could include:

• • Dialysis and breathing machines
  • Resuscitation if you stop breathing or if your heart stops
  • Tube feeding
  • Organ or tissue donation after you die

• Estate planning. Planning for the distribution of your assets and belongings ahead of time can save everyone a lot of time, trouble, and pain. There are two types: will-based, and trust-based. A revocable living trust is a document that you will draft during your lifetime, and it can be changed at any time while you are living. Contact an attorney who is experienced in estate planning, and one with high ratings and a good reputation to help you get your affairs in order.

The i am . . . just human movement was started in May 2017 by Judge Rachel and Dr. Dorsha to provoke people to step away from the labels used to define individuals.  This movement encourages people to build relationships on the foundation of unconditional love.