38
by Ruth Nichol
HEALTH
ThisLife
GETTY IMAGESA
s a fit and healthy 68-year-old who
enjoys 50km bike rides and outdoor
activities such as hunting and fishing,
Brian Goodwin does not intend to die
any time soon.
But the Ashburton private secu-
rity officer, whose wife, Shirley, died
from cancer in 2014, realises there’s no guarantee
he will live to a ripe old age, then die peacefully in
his sleep. He also knows that talking openly about
death and dying can make the process easier for
everyone involved.
In the months leading up to Shirley’s death, the
couple and their four adult children talked
a lot about how and where their wife
and mother wanted to die and
what she wanted to happen
afterwards.
“We knew exactly what she
wanted – we even asked the guy
who did her eulogy to do it for
her, and we knew she wanted
to die at home and to be buried
[rather than cremated].”
Goodwin found it comforting
knowing that he had fulfilled
Shirley’s wishes, particu-
larly when he compared hisTak i ng c ar e
of business
Early planning for your
incapacity or death avoids
burdening those who
would otherwise be left to
make the decisions for you.
NUTRITION • TECHNOLOGY • PSYCHOLOGY • FOOD • WINE • SPORT • TRAVEL