What does it mean to 'get my affairs in order'?

What does it mean to ‘get my affairs in order’?

When Pam was diagnosed with dementia in her late 50s she wasted no time in making arrangements for her future including developing an advance care plan and customising her own casket.

“I was diagnosed early, so I got what I call my ‘active dying plan’ out of the way,” Pam said. “Now I’m on my ‘active living plan’ and my adventure with dementia.”  

In the Future Planning episode of Dementia Australia’s podcast Hold the Moment Pam spoke about how she and a friend, who is a nurse, sat down and formalised her wishes for the future.

“She and I spent quite a few hours doing the advance care plan, which I recommend everybody getting done no matter what age or whether they have a dementia diagnosis or not,” Pam said.

She even customised a casket which is bright blue and has personalised touches.

“It’s covered by a royal red blanket and when I lift the blanket up to look at it and see the beauty of the colour, it makes me smile,” Pam said. 

Discussing the future

Hold the Moment podcast co-host Jim, who lives with younger onset dementia, said that being told to get his affairs in order was challenging and emotional.

“When you’re young, to be told that you need to get your affairs in order and do it sooner rather than later is really confronting,” Jim said.

“It's just something you don’t think you’re going to have to do.”  

He and his husband Tyler took long walks and had big conversations to discuss their future and Jim’s wishes for what he wanted to happen as his condition progressed. 

“There are so many life-changing things you have to think through when you get a dementia diagnosis,” he said. “That’s why Ty and I would usually head to our favourite park, just to pause and take stock.”

Wills, power of attorney and guardianship

As dementia advances, there comes a point when independent decision-making may not be feasible. 

While it's a challenging topic, proactive planning and clear communication of your preferences can ensure that your choices are honoured.

This includes legal planning, which can give you control over your future and help avoid unwanted medical care, disputes over wills and being financially exploited.  

In the Future Planning episode of Dementia Australia’s Hold the Moment podcast, University of Technology Sydney Professor Nola Ries breaks down some legal terms:

Will 

A will is a document used after a person has died and indicates how their assets and properties should be distributed to beneficiaries.  

It is important to organise a will early to avoid problems after a person has died, as legislation will step in if there is no will in place.  

Enduring Power of Attorney 

An Enduring Power of Attorney authorises someone to make legal and financial decisions for you when you’re not able to yourself. 

Enduring Guardian 

An Enduring Guardian is somebody who is legally appointed to make health care decisions for an individual who is not able to make those decisions themselves. Your Advance Care Directive tells the Enduring Guardian what your values and wishes are.

Find out more 

Visit the Dementia Australia website to listen to the Future Planning episode of Dementia Australia’s Hold the Moment podcast. 

You can listen to and follow Hold the Moment wherever you get your podcasts. 

You can find more resources about planning ahead on our website. 

Dementia Australia is here for anybody impacted by dementia. 

The National Dementia Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year on 1800 100 500 or visit our website.