Having this talk may seem like an awkward or an uncomfortable thing at first—but in the end, you’ll be glad you initiated it.
They say you’re not supposed to talk about religion and politics, at least not with your family—but there’s one thing people like talking about even less: Death. The idea of sitting down with your mom and dad and discussing end-of-life issues likely isn’t your idea of fun but consider the alternative.
The alternative is that one day, mom or dad passes away, and you are left totally unprepared. You want to plan and orchestrate a meaningful end-of-life event for your parent—a memorial service or a life celebration that will be just what mom or dad would have wanted.
There’s just one problem: You have no idea what mom or dad would have wanted because you never had that talk with them.
That’s not a scenario anyone wants to be in, which is why we encourage sons and daughters to sit down with their parents sooner rather than later. A single conversation can make a world of difference.
Facts About Having The Talk
The Conversation Project shares some facts that make it clear just how neglected the talk really is:
90 percent of people say that it is important to talk about end-of-life issues with family—but just over 25 percent actually do it.
60 percent of people say it matters to them that their family members not be overwhelmed by difficult decisions, yet 56 percent of people never discuss their wishes.
Roughly four out of five people say it is important to put their end-of-life wishes in writing, yet only one out of five has done so.
The disparity here is striking: Most of us agree that end-of-life discussions are important, but when it comes to actually have those conversations, we’re a timid bunch! So how do you turn your intentions into actions? How do you prepare to have the talk with mom and dad—and then follow through with it?
Having this talk may seem like an awkward or an uncomfortable thing at first—but in the end, you’ll be glad you initiated it. Mom and Dad will be, too: Having end-of-life conversations provides peace of mind for everyone.
