Page 24 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2020- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

The

Art

of Preplanning

by Laura Landes

very day I am deeply invested in the lives of them financially. Knowing that my children will not
families who have lost their loved ones, due to an have to use my life insurance for end of life expenses
Eunexpected event or after a lengthy journey of brings me comfort. Through the purchase of my preneed
illness and despair. No matter the circumstances that led agreement, I have locked in the price on the services and
to this loss, the result is life-altering in so many ways. merchandise I selected, and I am guaranteed that my
The overwhelming magnitude or irreversible choices that children will not bear that responsibility. This, too, gives
must be made, in a very small window of time, sparks an me peace of mind.
avalanche of costly, emotional decisions for the surviving
family members. Sometimes overcompensation is the As a funeral professional, it is my duty and obligation to
result of their own pain and sadness and the longing to educate others about the power of preplanning, but as a
show how much they care. parent and a child, I have come to appreciate it.
Throughout my years as the Embalmer and Restorative
Artist at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers,
I have personally witnessed the devastating impact,
both emotionally and financially, that the arrangement
process has on a family after a death has occurred. As
a Preneed Specialist, I have come to understand this
hardship can be alleviated with a minimal amount of
time and effort. Families whose loved ones took the
time to plan are spared the hard and often upsetting
decisions. It is the result of these cumulative experiences
from both sides that prompted me to preplan for my
own services and made me realize what a beautiful gift
this truly is.

Making plans in advance will protect your family
emotionally, make your final wishes known to them and
erase any doubt they may have as to the decisions they
would be forced to make. As a parent this is especially
important to me, as I, like the majority of parents,
have spent my entire adult life trying to protect my
children. Upon my death, rather than being plagued
by a multitude of decisions, they will be free to simply
celebrate my life.
In addition, while preplanning will protect my family
emotionally, prefunding has insured that I am protecting

24 Lubbock Senior Link