Whenever I sit down with folks that live here in Nova Scotia, to work out their end of life plans, often “I want to donate my body to Dalhousie” comes up during the conversation. Sometimes people are thinking it is an effective strategy to reduce the cost of body disposition to their estate or […]
Author: Roxanne
Why would you wait until then?
Is waiting until you are diagnosed with a terminal illness the best time to have an end of life discussion with the people that care about you? I will tell you that this is the least optimal time to begin this discussion. A terminal diagnosis may give you a timeframe of days, weeks or months […]
Who will decide? You or the Court?
My Mother died without ensuring her affairs were properly in order before her death. She died in 2011, and it is clear on this side of it, that we are dealing with an intestacy. I am the sole heir at law, however this has been a very complex issue and even though the law is […]
The High Cost of Funerals and How to Save Money
Do you believe there is a reason for everything? Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. Maybe it has to do with the order of magnitude. My debilitating car accident in 2006 in Alberta put some things in perspective about how fragile our bodies are, and how in the blink of an eye, things can […]
Will you be sending a cryptic message from the grave?
I finally got out to watch the movie Manchester by the Sea last night. It is a movie about a man who suffered a great loss in his own life, and while trying to make sense of it all was hit with the news of the death of his brother. On top of that, he […]
What is a “Good” Death?
Just as each birth is unique, so too is death. Both are normal and natural and each holds an element of mystery. The time and place for both are mostly uncertain. Death, statistically speaking, comes with a 100% guarantee. Death does not discriminate. It comes to the old and the young, black or white, female […]
Do I need to contact a funeral home when there is an “expected” death in my family?
Generally speaking when there is an “expected” death, it is not necessary to contact a funeral home right away. However if your family member is in the hospital or long term care facility and not at home, then it is likely the facility will want that bed for someone else in short order. What will […]