End-of-Life Planning in New England: What Rhode Island Residents Should Know
“Being prepared and having important documents in a single place can give you peace of mind, help ensure your wishes are honored, and ease the burden on your loved ones.”
The National Institute on Aging
Unfortunately for many families, end of planning in Rhodes Island is something they don’t want to think about. You may wait until it’s too late and leave the burden of legal, financial, and medical decisions to your family members. This also includes funeral planning in RI, which falls to family members who have to make quick decisions immediately after death and during a highly emotionally charged time.
Taking the time to plan for your future is a gift to your family, ensuring your wishes are followed and easing their burden when your time comes.
End-of-Life Planning in Rhode Island
A thoughtful end-of-life plan typically covers three main areas:
- Medical decisions
- Financial and legal preparation
- End-of-life funeral planning
Medical Planning: Making Your Healthcare Wishes Clear
Medical planning focuses on how healthcare decisions should be handled if you are unable to speak for yourself. A healthcare directive or living will document your preference for treatment and life-sustaining measures. End-of-life planning also includes choosing a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney, someone who is authorized to talk with doctors, help with your healthcare, and make decisions if you are unable to do so.
These documents allow you to stay in control of your health, ensuring that your care aligns with your personal values. It also reduces the burden on your family to make decisions for you, wondering whether it’s what you really want.
Financial and Legal Planning
Beyond healthcare decisions, your family will have to make significant financial and legal decisions. How you treat end-of-life planning in Rhodes Island can make a big difference in how difficult this becomes for your loved ones.
If you don’t have your affairs in order, it can be extremely difficult for family members to figure things out and make smart decisions. Conversely, when you have documentation and important paperwork on hand, it simplifies everything. This can include:
- A will, trust, or estate plan
- Beneficiary designation
- Life insurance policies
- Bank account and investment account information
- Birth certificate, marriage license
- Recent tax returns
- Deeds for property and car titles
- Safe deposit box locations
The planning process helps your family members manage the financial and legal implications when you pass on, and makes sure your wishes are followed.
Funeral Planning in Rhode Island
When considering the end of life, many Rhode Island residents find out there are a wide range of options. Traditional burial and cremation are common, but you may want to consider donating your body to medical science and helping others.
Regardless of what you decide, planning ahead makes sure your family knows what you want, how you want to be remembered, and relieves them from the burden of making those decisions for you.
Whole Body Donation as Part of End-of-Life Planning
When you donate your body to science as part of end-of-life planning, you make an important contribution to medical education, surgical training, research, and testing to support advances in healthcare.
When you donate your body to science with United Tissue Network, your family members no longer have to worry about making arrangements. You can register in advance and contact UTN when the time comes. United Tissue Network will then handle all of the arrangements for transporting your body, placement with an accredited medical research or education facility, and cremation after studies conclude. UTN covers 100% of the costs, including free cremation.
When to Start Planning
Unfortunately, many individuals put off end-of-life and funeral planning in RI until it’s too late, leaving their family members to make decisions after death. Talking about these things ahead of time can be uncomfortable, but taking a little time to plan ahead can make a big difference.
There’s no right time to start end-of-life planning in Rhode Island, but the sooner you document your decisions and let your family know, the easier it will be when the time comes.
Free Resources for End-of-Life Planning in Rhode Island
There are resources available to help you get started. For example, the National Institute on Aging has a checklist of the types of documents you’ll likely need. The American Bar Association also has some guidance on the legal and financial process.
If you are considering donating your body to science, contact United Tissue Network. UTN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of medical science, research, training, and education.Visit United Tissue Network online to learn more about whole body donation.
