Make a Will Month: Five Reasons You May Be Procrastinating

Numerous studies continue to show that even though Americans are comfortable talking about their legacy, only half have an actual will in place. August is Make a Will month, and I encourage you to not only make your will but to talk about your health directives and power of attorney wishes with your family.

My husband and I are planners by nature, but we found putting our will in place was something that just kept getting delayed. Like many, the list of reasons we hadn’t gotten to it yet was long. That is until we realized that if something happened to both of us, everything we’ve earned and worked for would be directed by the state in which we live. We both decided we’ve worked too hard to allow our legacies to be put in the hands of others to decide.

My husband and I have several charitable organizations that are near and dear to our hearts. We have no children to carry on our legacy, so the best we can do is ensure our legacies continue through the works of the organizations we love.

One of the organizations we selected is Hosparus Health. Ensuring everyone has access to the quality end-of-life care wherever they call home is important to both of us. As you’ll see, sometimes it’s not what you experience at an organization, but what you missed out on that drives your passion.

When I was in my late-20s my mother was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Through the work of some amazing oncologists, she overcame statistics and lived with this cancer for three and a half years. There were good times and bad times during her battle, but we were fortunate that the good far outweighed the bad. While her spirit remained strong, her body eventually weakened and too soon we were nearing the time to say goodbye.

Looking back, I can’t believe how my dad, my sister and I managed to juggle everything while trying to work, go to school and be with family. In hindsight, I recognize the reality is that we all lost precious family time with mom as we shifted from husband and daughters to caregivers. We became so focused on ensuring she was comfortable and taken care of, that we neglected ourselves.

Fast forward several years and my career journey led me to Hosparus Health. I now know and appreciate how much Hosparus Health could have helped my family during those treasured final months. I now know how much they could have helped my family before, during and after those cherished farewells. And most important, I now know that we didn’t really need to go through that alone.

My family missed out on some precious moments and that didn’t need to be the case. Because of that, it’s become my passion to not only ensure people know about the services Hosparus Health provides, but to encourage people to talk to their families and friends about their final wishes and how they’d like to leave their legacy. And that includes you!

I ask that you ignore your list of reasons to procrastinate and to take a few minutes this month to ensure your estate plans are taken care of. If you are interested in joining the Autumn Leaf Society by including Hosparus Health as a beneficiary of your estate, I encourage you to contact Lisa Sanford as she will want to welcome you and answer any questions you may have.

Need more help navigating essential documents? Be sure to check out our resource page for more information on wills and health directives.