How to Prepare Your Will

Organizations working with and on behalf of older persons are tackling what can be a very touchy subject for families: preparing for the end of life and final distribution of assets of the deceased among his surviving family. It’s no guarantee that if you weren’t close to Mom and Dad before they passed that they will think of you in their last will and testament, but some seem to be motivated in that way. Regardless, the National Council on Ageing and Women’s Department, among other groups, has seen a rise in cases of elderly neglect and abuse related to care-giving and end-of-life preparation. We spoke to their representatives at the workshop organized at the Belize Institute of Management.

Ayna Joseph

Ayna Joseph, Social Worker, Women’s Department

“What we have noticed recently is a lot of increase in elderly neglect and elderly abuse; and at the end of their life there is no will and there is frustration within the family. This workshop would help my clients as it is, on a daily basis, to get themselves prepared to prepare a will and for us to know who is the executor of that will so that they would be able to work with the caregiver or the social worker.”

Reporter

“Is it especially difficult? Is it that you need particular legal counsel or is it something that you can start writing out, and thinking of before it gets to the point of – you said elderly abuse and so on?”

Cherene Rivero

Ayna Joseph

“For most people, they don’t really know the importance of a will; a will is important because at the end of your life – remember a will doesn’t kick until the end of your life – so it is important. Sometimes people don’t want to care for their loved ones, but if they know they have something to get, they would be more willing to work with you to care for the elderly until the end of their life.”

Cherene Rivero, Program Officer, National Council on Ageing

“We are hoping that the organizations that are represented here will take the information and share with those persons that they work with.”

Solicitor General Nigel Hawke was facilitator for the workshop.