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SUDDEN SPOUSE DEATH

Baby boomers are coming of age. 60 is the magical number, but to a "Boomer", that is really not old, and most can't understand how this age has suddenly made them "old" to society.

They are still vibrant, full of life, living and going about their business.

But what happens when a spouse suddenly passes away? Are they ready for this sudden loss? Have they prepared one another for the fact that they are not invincible? Does the one know how they are going to function without the other?

I myself have been married for 40 years. I married young at 20 and when you think about it, we have been together for more than half our age. It is inconceivable to think of not being together. We think alike, remember the same incidences simultaneously, can look at each other and know what the other is thinking. We can laugh at something that happened 30 years ago.

What will happen to you when you are suddenly alone? Will you be able to cope?

More importantly, will you know what to do?

Can you balance the check book, do the laundry, cook a meal? When do the grandchildren do extra mural activities? When are their birthdays? Where is the will? How much insurance do you have?

Are you ready?

And invariably, the answer, sadly, is NO. No-one is ever ready for the reality of a sudden passing of a spouse, but you need to know that IF it happens to you, you will know how to function going forward.

Both spouses need to have necessary information readily available. - addresses and telephone numbers of family and friends - name of minister and address of religious worship

Arrangements for funeral

1. Arrange with minister for funeral and service.

2. Designate two or three friends to telephone your list of friends to advise them what happened, and give the funeral arrangements.

3. People will bring food to the house. Make sure that there are refreshments to offer mourners. Delegate this to your friends.

Questions that you need to ask yourself.

Do I have enough money to live on.

Man:

o Are my finances in order

o Do we have a will

o Do I have health insurance

o Can I afford to pay someone to do work for me that I can't do

o Do I know who our accountant/lawyer is

o Can I afford a housekeeper

o Do I know how to organize our finances. Learn the rudiments of bookkeeping or download Quicken to help you organize the finances.

Woman:

o Do I have enough money to live on

o Do I have health insurance

o Where is the will

o Who is our accountant/lawyer

o If I don't drive, can I employ a driver when necessary

o Can

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