ADVANCED HEALTH DIRECTIVES (LIVING WILL)

I recently attended a workshop about Enduring Power Of Attorney, Orders for Administration and yet to be approved Enduring Power of Guardianship and Advanced Health Directives (Living Wills). They are currently trying to pass the Bill through the Western Australian State Government.Basically, a Living Will is a written request of any medical directives you wish to have made on your behalf if you are considered to not be able to make sound decisions for yourself. For example if you want to choose not to be resuscitated in certain situations. A Living Will can also encompass lifestyle decisions and presumably you would be able to leave clear instructions on how you would like your funeral conducted.Until this Act is passed though what one can do is discuss your wishes with family, write it all down clearly, get your GP to sign it to say that you were of sound mind when writing your wishes and consider someone to be an Enduring Power of Attorney for you. If you elect someone for this role, discuss your wishes with him or her so that they know what you want. If you want to have something that is very specific and complex it would be advised to seek Legal advice and have a Solicitor write up a Living Will for you, keeping in mind the expense involved.For more information I would recommend attending a workshop that is offered by the Fremantle Community Legal Service. They also offer workshops on Wills.
For more information about Power of Attorney and Wills check out the Department of Justice website. www.justice.wa.gov.au

SINGLE FUNERAL PERMIT

METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES BOARD WA.
I have recently been in touch with the Fremantle Cemetery to find out what is required to undertake your own funeral. If you choose to do-it-yourself you need to apply for a SINGLE FUNERAL PERMIT with the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board whose main office is at Karrakatta Cemetery Perth. They have a kit which has all of the information regarding what documentation is required, what requirements they want met, as well as step-by-step instructions, price lists and contact lists for medical referees, coffin makers and the relevant Government Departments. I obtained my kit from Fremantle Cemetery and I would think that all the metropolitan cemeteries would have it available. I would contact them first just to be sure though.The kit outlines the requirements for both Burials and Cremations. There appears to be more paperwork involved when doing a cremation.Below are links to some of the Agencies that you tend to deal with.
Application for Permit to Cremate-Health Department of WA.
Death Registration Paper (Death Certificate)- Registrar General, Births,Deaths,Marriages.
Coroners Certificate (if Coronal Inquiry)- Coroner's Court.

ARIANDEL OF AVALON

My dear friend Ariandel or the Crone, as I call her, has a wonderful blog about her garden and the changing of the seasons. She has taught me much about the seasons and rituals to celebrate them. It was many conversations with her about death that led me to much of my enquiry and to writing this blog. She is in her 70's and a computer whizz coaching me as I go. Please follow the link to check out her blog; http://www.gardenofavalon.blogspot.com/
Ariandel has now written her own blog called "Funerals To Die For", which is worth checking out.

INTENT

As expressed in my profile most of my immediate family is deceased. I have one brother still living who I have very little contact with and a half sister who I have never met(different sort of grief attached to this one) I thought that I would briefly outline my experiences of each of these family deaths as each one was so very different and hence my reactions were very different. From each of these experiences though I have gleaned a variety of perspectives of death and dying.They have also moulded who I am today and led me to this place where I want to create a space where information can be shared and peoples access to this information at a time of grief can be made easier.
- I will be reviewing books on the subject of home death, death doulas, and do-it-yourself funerals.
-I will be creating links to the relevant Legislation and paperwork involved in undertaking your own funeral, specific to Western Australia.
-Presenting information related to the Natural Death Movement which has been around for years in England and the United States but of which Australia is yet to embrace. I know it is happening at the grassroots and that there are people in Australia creating organisations , lobbying for natural burial sites,tending to their deceased loved ones at home and performing their own funerals.
-I would also like to hear from anyone who has anything to share on the topic so that we can create an information network.