Episode 03: End of Life Planning - with Garrick Colwell
What is the best way to show your love to the ones closest to you?
Now, if you have been following this podcast for a while, you know that I am not talking about romantic gestures here, we are not talking roses and gifts, romantic dates or surprises (even though we all love them obviously). No, I am talking about the end of life. And the best gift you can give your loved ones is a plan for the end of your life.
When death is near, the people around you are already carrying so much - fear, anticipatory grief, exhaustion, and love all tangled together. What end-of-life planning does is remove uncertainty. It spares them from having to guess. It frees them from making impossible decisions in moments of shock or crisis. It allows them to simply be with you - present, connected, loving - instead of overwhelmed by logistics and doubt.
Planning is not about control. It’s about care.
And here’s something I’ve learned through my work: what matters most to you about living is the clearest guide to what will matter most to you when you are dying. The way you define dignity, comfort, autonomy, faith, family, or legacy in life is the same language your dying will speak.
End-of-life planning is really an act of listening — listening to your own values, your fears, your hopes — and then translating those into clarity for the people you love.
In this episode, we’re going to talk about why planning ahead is not morbid, not pessimistic, and not giving up. It is one of the most profound expressions of love there is.
Garrick Colwell
Garrick is a certified Grief Recovery Specialist and a Grief Educator with an extensive background in every aspect of grief and loss. He is the co-Creator of Kitchen Table Conversations, a nonprofit providing education and resources that empower people to have conversations about Advance Care Planning, End of Life and Grief.
Garrick is a widower and served his late wife Kinsloe as her patient advocate, caregiver, and end of life companion. Recently he lost his dad Bob, so his views on how to deal with the holidays while grieving are not only educated, but personal. Find out more.
Links and Resources for this episode:
Kitchen Table Conversations
Kitchen Table Conversations encourages people to have end of life conversations in the comfort of their homes instead of during a medical crisis in the ICU. They offer information, resources, webinars and workshops around end of life planning. While some articles and forms are specific to Texas, where they are located, most resources are universal and a wonderful place to start planning. Find out more.
What Matters Most to Me Workbook
Your Conversation Starter Guide
Choosing your Healthcare Proxy
FREE Five-Part Webinar Series Attend 1, 2 or all 5 Webinars - This 5-part webinar series will guide you in making informed decisions and help you complete your "Peace of Mind" End-of-Life Plan. Find out more.
More websites to help you plan your end of life
MyDirectives offers a simple and accessible platform for creating,
uploading, and storing Advance Care Planning documents at absolutely no cost to users. Their user-friendly platform guides individuals through the process of creating a comprehensive advance care plan step by step, ensuring that it's easy to understand and complete. You can even download an icon onto your phone for easy access to the digital storage of your documents.
RocketLawyer offers an array of services for the end of life. It helps you
create your Last Will and Testament, your Living Will, also known as your Advance Care Directive, to make sure everyone knows what you want to be done on a medical level at a point when you are not in a condition to make a decision yourself.
Here is a list of links to important documents:
Last Will and Testament
Advance Care DIrective
Living Trust
Medical Power of Attorney
19 Evidence-Based Benefits of Advance Care Planning
Still not sure if you want to start talking about your own death? This is a great article about the benefits of planning ahead. Read more
Books to dive deeper into the subject
