By Eleanor Tanno, M.D.
Once you have completed your Advance Directive, what comes next?
First, make sure you have created copies of your Advance Directive. Copies should be provided to your medical Power of Attorney(s), Primary Care Physician, personal attorney (if you have one), and to anyone else who may be involved in your end-of-life care. The most important step, though, is actually discussing your wishes with your loved ones. This is so that no one is caught off-guard by their expected involvement and your stated preferences. Lastly, you may want to upload a copy of your Advance Directive to an online database such as MyDirectives. This way, it can be easily found in a medical setting.
Beyond the Advance Directive
Next, you may want to think more broadly about your end-of-life wishes beyond your medical directives. This comes in the form of Legacy Planning. The term Legacy Planning can mean many things, from organizing legal and financial information to sharing personal memories or messages. At its heart, it is about making things easier for the people you care about by leaving them instructions on how to practically and emotionally process your death.
Essentially, you are creating a manual for your loved ones on how to close out your life logistically and pick up the emotional pieces.
Start with Logistics
First, there are the practical aspects after someone dies – closing out their financial and legal affairs. You may want to organize some practical details. This could include:
- Personal Information: IDs, emergency contacts, insurance policies, employment details
- Financial and Assets: bank accounts, property, investments, business, ownership, subscriptions
- Estate Planning Documents: wills, trusts, power of attorney
When made accessible, these details can help your family or caregivers make confident decisions, avoid confusion, and handle essential tasks with less stress.
Processing Emotions of Your Absence
In addition to the practical aspects, you can help your loved ones process the emotions of your death in a number of ways.
Some people choose to leave behind messages, reflections, or advice. These might include memories, values, or stories meant to comfort and guide loved ones in the future. They could be in the form of letters or videos to be distributed to those who mean most to you.
You can also use this space to explain the decisions you have made in your advance directives. Sharing the reasoning behind your choices can bring peace of mind to those who may be responsible for carrying them out and reduce the emotional weight of uncertainty.
You Do Not Have to Do Everything at Once.
Start with what feels most urgent or accessible, and build gradually. Whether you use a notebook, a binder, a spreadsheet, a shared folder, or a secure digital platform like Soalma, the key is to make sure your information is stored safely and can be found when it matters most.
A thoughtful legacy plan can offer your loved ones not just clarity, but comfort. It is a lasting act of care, grounded in both preparation and love.