National & State End-of-life Planning Resources

Laws and regulations may vary by state. In addition to the My Life & Wishes Planning Center, there are other helpful end-of-life planning resources available to you on the web. Here are a few that we recommend.

 

Advanced Directives by State

• The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization offers free, state specific advance directives and advice for communicating wishes to family and close friends.
• POLST (Physician Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment)

 

Funerals and Cremation

• State-by state funeral and cremation laws
• The Funeral Consumers Alliance is dedicated to helping consumers understand their legal rights and options in funeral planning.
• Green Burial Council

 

Government Resources

• Administration on Aging
• Eldercare Locator
• National Council on Aging
• Medicare
• Social Security
• Veterans Administration

 

Legal Resources

• American Bar Association
• Elder Law Answers
• National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC)

 

Talking About End-of-Life Care planning

• The Conversation Project is dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care. They are focused on generating conversations about healthcare wishes with family members and ensuring individuals have thought through what they want at the end of life.
• Death Café, an international model begun in 2011, focuses a discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes with typically strangers who come together for this topic.
• Kimberly Paul brings innovation to the death and dying industry by applying the concept of design thinking.  Her website Death by Design will educate and empower you to design your death to reflect your values, your likes and even your personality.
• The Heart of Hospice is designed to educate, encourage, and support anyone who needs information about end of life care.  The site is designed to provide information on hospice philosophy, advance care planning, the basics of hospice, self care tips for personal and professional caregivers, and more.

 

Senior Care Resources

• Caring.com is a free resource for family and caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses and other loved ones.   The site’s search tool and data base assists families in locating the various care options in their area.
• Memory Care Facilities  is a free on-line tool designed to help families  who have loved ones with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  It’s nationwide data base of memory care facilities and helps you identity which facilities in your area are best equipped to take care of your loved one.

 

Other Resources

• The U.S. Living Will Registry electronically stores advance directives and makes them available to health care providers 24 hours/day via secure Internet or telephone-facsimile. The Registry stores ALL types of advance directives…living wills, health care proxies, health care power of attorney, as well as organ donor information.
• The Vital Records Directory offers state specific links to where to get a copy of a death certificate.