Canadians urged to plan ahead for end-of-life decisions as toll from COVID-19 builds

This is a grim topic that not many want to think about right now, but there is a need for Canadians to put plans in place for serious illness and even end-of-life procedures. Statistics are stark and scary; deaths due to COVID-19 are occurring across our country and more are predicted. It's an unfortunate reality. If you fall ill and you want your wishes for your care to be followed, then you need to put a healthcare directive into place.

The Globe and Mail recently carried a good article on this topic. To read it, click here.

Though it's important to stay positive during such difficult times, it's also important to plan for the worst. Talking to your closest family members about your wishes often reduces anxiety as opposed to increasing it. At least things are out in the open where people can express their fears and address them.

Most of our clients sign Advance Healthcare Directives and Enduring Powers of Attorney at the same time as they do their wills, but that practice is not universal. If you haven't put these documents in place for yourself yet, or perhaps your parents need them, this is a good time to have a discussion about that.