Creating a legacy through Ethical Wills

When a person dies…it’s as though a library burned down.
-----African proverb

Arlene Harris created her first quilt for her parent’s 57th wedding anniversary. Little did she know it would be their last. Her mother died a few months later. Her dad moved in with her sister and after a month, asked that the quilt be hung in the living where he could share his memories with family and friends. A couple of years ago, Arlene’s dad died and now the quilt hangs in Arlene’s home. Each time she looks at it, it brings back “incredible memories.” It has become a legacy that will be passed on to future generations.

Each November, the hospice community works to raise awareness about hospice and palliative care during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.

One service hospice offers is helping patients and families develop and create legacy work. Sometimes called life closure or an ethical will, legacy work is a collection of personal values and family history that can be passed on to loved ones. Some see it as a way to learn about one’s self, reflect on life and to affirm the importance of others in their life.

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