Most say it’s never too late, I say it’s never too early!
Last month, Hospice of Union County participated in the Matthews Taste and Trade. We have an office in Matthews, operating under the name Hospice Services of Matthews and we try to stay involved in the happenings of that community. After all, one of our goals is to meet our patients where they are and that means medically, emotionally, spiritually and geographically! So we had an information booth set up at the Taste & Trade and met quite a few interesting people. One of the things that invariably happens at trade shows is that the vendors end up chatting quite a bit during lulls in activity. I ended up talking with a gentleman a few booths down whose wife had recently lost her father. Before he passed, he had been in and out of the hospital repeatedly, on and off life support and the three adult children dealing with his illness had no idea what his wishes were concerning artificial life support or resuscitation. This was truly a situation that became more and more heartbreaking as time progressed. Eventually, he passed away, leaving three adults questioning if they had carried out their father’s wishes.
Upon hearing this story, I wondered aloud why more people don’t give the one gift to their loved ones that means more than anything you could ever find in a store or wrapped up with a bow. The gift of peace of mind. Most people think having a living will requires a lot of money and time. It doesn’t. You can get a blank living will online or at our agency (704-292-2100) and fill it out, have it witnessed and notarized and it’s legal. It’s your wishes, written down, legally binding, to be used in a situation where you cannot speak for yourself. It’s peace of mind on paper for your loved ones. It’s a gift that only you can give.
So, most people use the phrase “It’s never too late” but I say it’s never too early to give that gift.
