A life well lived... ... a future well planned
Making the right decisions now could provide comfort for loved ones later
It’s the beginning of a brand new year, full of new resolutions. But while we look ahead to what life will bring in 2018 it’s worth remembering the importance of planning further ahead for the years still to come. Thinking about the future often means joyous moments yet to be had with our nearest and dearest but there will, of course, be a time when we are no longer around, so it makes sense to think about future practicalities now while we can still make a difference. Every year, thousands of people pass away without having a plan in place for their family, or making their final wishes known, meaning families are left to make difficult decisions. And for our closest family and friends, this can be overwhelming during an upsetting time. That’s why arranging your plan today makes perfect sense. Colin and Carol Pembroke, who have been married since 1962, had talked before about their family’s distance and how difficult it would be for their children to arrange everything for their funerals. “Obviously, whichever one of us happens to go first leaves the other one to sort everything out, but for the next one, the responsibility would fall to our children,” explains Colin. After discussing things with Carol, Colin enquired online after seeing an advert for Avalon. Soon after, he received a call inviting them to book a free consultation at their home. “What we particularly noticed was how easy it was to talk about what we wanted, despite the potentially gloomy topic. I suppose as you get older you become more accepting of the inevitable and it actually feels quite productive to make those decisions!” There are many personal reasons for arranging a funeral plan. Some don’t like the thought of loved ones having to make difficult decisions for them at an already upsetting time; others want to remove the financial burden for those closest to them. For Colin and Carol, both these reasons spurred them on. “We wanted to be sure that when the time comes, we’ll have all the essentials agreed and paid for so our children won’t have to guess what we would have wanted. “But more than anything, we didn’t want them to have to worry when we’re gone about having to pay for it all.”