Ready For Your Funeral? Michael Hebb Launches New Website For End-Of-Life Planning

When Michal Hebb launched Death Over Dinner, his mission was to create a simple idea to help others talk about the taboo topic of death and planning their end-of-life. However, according to Health Affairs in their July 2017 issue, only 37% of Americans completed an advance directive. And with that, modern cultural icon Michael Hebb has been encouraging Americans to talk about death.

Although death has been a taboo topic for some, Hebb encourages individuals to talk about it, especially with friends, families, and loved ones. His efforts in encouraging people to talk about their end-of-life plans continue with his latest endeavor.

When he launched his website, End of Life Collective, or the EOL.community in collaboration with RoundGlass, Hebb said people opt to discuss it with friends, families, and loved ones rather with lawyers and insurance officers. To stay in line with his advocacy that planning your death must no longer be a taboo, the End of Life Collective is free and accessible to everyone. Among the services offered by the website include writing a will, looking for a grief therapist, and discussions about their funeral wishes.

Hebb also mentioned the recent pandemic outbreak that has been taking a toll on millions of people across the country. According to Hebb, COVID-19 has encouraged people to better prepare and plan the rest of their lives. Before the pandemic, the majority of the people who accomplished end-of-life planning were those who were “closer to their later chapters.”

Hebb’s Death Over Dinner is a program that aims to cultivate an amicable discussion and end-of-life planning with the host inviting his loved ones and friends to discuss his plans. With the help of the University of Washington, Hebb spearheaded the campaign last 2013. When discussing death and what you should plan, Hebb said there are topics that you need to run through.

These include the legal, religious, philosophical aspects, to name a few. The End of Life Collective also has a Death FAQ page, with questions covering issues with religion, grief, terminal illness, and legal situations.

There are other things you can do with end-of-life planning. For one, there can be proper administration and succession of finances. If you are leaving behind a business, savings, properties, or other valuable assets, it is better that you have them properly administered by a legal will. You can find tons of funeral insurance and burial insurance policy info from Choice Mutual that will help you let your family and loved ones know how your funeral should take place.

Your named beneficiaries will also receive financial aid to help them pay your funeral costs. It is also important that you appoint a person who can make decisions for you. Perhaps it may be best to choose your lawyer or an individual with special powers of attorney to settle your will. Just make sure to pick someone who will represent and respect your wishes.

Hebb predicted the pandemic will forever change how we view life and society. With that, it gives us hope to see a new willingness to discuss facing death and the reality of end-of-life planning.