When I had to step in and start trying to handle mom’s business, I ran into a lot of hurdles. Everything, and I mean everything had a password – her answering machine, her bank accounts, her alarm system, her pension… The problem was, most of those had been setup after the early onset of her dementia, and she didn’t use what she always would have. My sister and I had no clue. Mom couldn’t remember. Do you have a place where all of your passwords are kept, and does someone else know where it is, if they have to help you? Honestly, our smartphones and devices that store those things can make things more complicated, when they require a password, facial recognition or a fingerprint.
What are the things you handle around the house that nobody else knows anything about – the checkbook, the investments? Where do you hide the lawnmower key, what’s the trick to lighting the pilot light, where do you keep your important papers? Those are the type things that make an unexpected loss so much harder. Those are the things I want to help you, or your parents or grandparents think about while we still can, so it makes things a little bit easier on others when we can’t. That’s some of the material I plan to cover Saturday in the What You Need to Know About Death and Dying Seminar.
I hope you’ll join me, and maybe bring your parents or grandparents that might need to be thinking about some of this. We’re meeting from 9-12 in the Social Hall. All I ask you to do is let me know by Thursday at noon, if you plan to attend, so I can make sure I have enough materials prepared.
Then on Sunday, I’m starting a 4 week series on Grief in which we’ll talk about the Afterlife, Suicide, Coming to Peace, and Dying Well. I hope you can join us for that!
In Christ,
Chip
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