Plan in advance and tell people if you want to control your dying

A Dr Schillerstrom, writing on a news blog, makes a good point about the psychology and ageing and end-of-life planning. He says:

Perhaps some elders’ reluctance to engage in end-of-life planning stems from knowing that perfectly thought-through wills and living wills do not necessarily decrease death anxiety. It may even increase it by forced confrontation with one’s mortality. However, end-of-life planning may decrease the anxiety of those we love, and it may give some sense of control over the process.

My blog on social work and end-of-life care often puts the case for planning for care at the end of our lives. And the questioning doctor is right, this is often not an easy thing to do.  But if we want to be in control, or a bit more in control if it's at all possible, good advance planning and telling people what we've planned gives us the best prospect of having it like we want it to be. If we don't plan and we don't tell anyone, how are they going to know what to do when we're clog-popping.

The link to the article on the psychology of ageing and end-of-life planning.

Link to my social work and end-of-life care blog.