April is Health Care Decisions month, the month when you are supposed to sign health care proxies and talk to your family about your “end of life wishes.” I know many people will sign health care proxies, but I wonder how many will take that next step to communicate their wishes to their families, or [...]
Estate planning, elder law, special needs, probate, guardianship. Leanna Hamill, Hingham
Category Archives: End of Life Planning
End of Life Conversations Will Result In Your Death – 100% of the Time
Everyone is going to die. All of us. Some will die when we are young, some when we are old. Some will die a quick death, and others will linger while those around us try to figure out what to do.
So, all this talk about “end of life conversations” leading to more old people dying [...]
Living Wills for Children, or “I Want My Pepsi Now”
Many many years ago, before I was born, a beloved young cousin in my family was sick, and dying of leukemia. Towards the end of his life, there was a sign above his bed that said "nothing by mouth," meaning he should not have anything to eat or drink as he was getting his nutrition [...]
What to Do When You Can’t Decide
I sometimes have clients who have trouble making decisions – they can't decide who should be guardian of their children, they can't decide who to appoint as agent under a power of attorney, and they can't decide exactly how to distribute their property when they pass away. And so they do nothing. Maybe they call [...]
Starting the Conversation About End of Life Care
Families are often hesitant to talk about end of life wishes. Maybe they are uncomfortable bringing it up, maybe they are afraid of the reaction of others, or maybe they think everyone would know what to do so there's no need to discuss it. But if it feels uncomfortable now – when there is no [...]
In the Nursing Home, by Jane Kenyon
In the Nursing Home
She is like a horse grazinga hill pasture that someone makessmaller by coming every nightto pull the fences in and in.
She has stopped running wide loops,stopped even the tight circles.She drops her head to feed; grassis dust, and the creekbed’s dry.
Master, come with your lighthalter. Come and bring her in.
(Kenyon, Jane. New [...]
Planning Your Funeral On-Line
You can do everything else on-line these days – shop, communicate with friends and strangers, read the news, pay your bills, find a mate – and now you can plan your funeral on-line with MyWonderfulLife. As the site explains:
Whether you want a completely customized event, or a traditional
funeral, we make it easy to record [...]
Should You Put Burial Instructions in Your Will?
I often have clients ask me if they should include their burial wishes in their Wills. I always tell them "no." Your Will is the document that outlines how you want your property divided after your death, and hopefully it will not be the first thing people are reaching for when you pass away.
Your [...]
Leaving Behind More Than Just Things
When people die, they leave behind more than just "things". More than just photos and furniture and money and houses and pets and clothes and clutter. They leave behind things that were never said (and now can never be said), they leave unsettled grievances, misunderstandings and the results of actions or inactions that are left [...]
How Clear Are Your Last Wishes?
This is the title to a recent New York Times health blog post. (You need to register to read it, but it is free.)
The author recounts her experience with her family trying to deal with her grandfather’s illness and their attempts to interpret his wishes about the end of his life. She writes:
…the [...]
Leanna@HamillLawOffice.com | 160 Old Derby St., Suite 456 | Hingham, Ma 02043 | Phone: 781.749.2284 | Fax: 866.573.6429
Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. By using this site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the attorney. The website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Leanna Hamill is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only.
Advertising. In accordance with rules established by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, this web site must be labeled "advertising." It is designed to provide general information for clients and friends of the firm and should not be construed as legal advice, or legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. By using this site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the attorney. The website should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Leanna Hamill is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts only.