Putting Your Ducks in a Row
Lynn Moon, Chair – Township of Tiny Senior Advisory Committee and Jennifer Gray, Volunteer Senior Column Writer
As Seniors we don’t wish to discuss or talk about death – especially with our children. They don’t want to hear about it at all. There are countless reasons we have to avoid contemplating what the future might bring. We don’t wish to upset our families, friends, or close acquaintances. It especially disturbs all of the above when we are gathered socially, often disrupting the current atmosphere. However, what we must realize at this time is that sometimes we have no idea how to organize all of our personal details and discuss them with those people who need to know the important aspects and details of our lives once we are gone. Regardless, this hands-off topic ironically becomes increasingly important as we age and quietly witness it becoming the growing elephant in the room.
Death or incapacity is not easy to discuss, but preparing for it and having conversations in advance can help people get more comfortable with the idea. Proper planning can also greatly alleviate the burden that is placed on the survivors. It’s enough to have loved ones grieve for us without having to untangle our personal affairs. Also, if we are rendered incapacitated without notice, our next of kin may be asked for immediate direction on next steps for our care. When we are mentally capable, we can make our own living and healthcare decisions. There could, however, come a time when we cannot give instructions for managing our health and personal affairs. The best gift we can give to our loved ones is a clear and informed set of instructions for end-of-life preparations or future healthcare needs.
Recognizing how very important this topic is, The Township of Tiny’s Senior Advisory
Committee (SAC) will be hosting a program this Spring called Ducks in a Row. This series was introduced in the Fall of 2025 drawing strong attendance and receiving highly positive feedback. The program consists of three consecutive workshops that are intended to guide older adults in organizing their personal and health information into a structured, accessible source that provides a chosen executor or caregiver clear and concise direction on how they would like their affairs managed. Each session is 90-minutes and will cover different topics with handouts provided. These topics include the importance of detailed personal information, residential arrangements, and health information including personal values, priorities and direction regarding treatments, in case of incapacity. Legal and financial matters will be covered which will include financial planning, Power of Attorney (different types) and personal wills. To provide guidance in preparing these worksheets there will be guest speakers to present on select topics. All sessions encourage interactive participation by the audience as well as any questions that might arise during the morning’s presentations.
The workshops will be held at the Township of Tiny Community Centre (91 Concession Road 8 East, Tiny, ON) on May 6th, 13th and 20th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. The sessions are free, but attendees are asked to bring their own three-ring binder. Participants must register in advance. Registration for this program opens online at www.tiny.ca/playportal for Tiny residents on April 7th at noon, while general registration opens on April 13th at noon. For more information contact the Township of Tiny’s Recreation and Special Events department by phone at 705-526-4204, email at seniors@tiny.ca, or visit www.tiny.ca/seniors/programs.
The information in this article is provided as a public service by the Township of Tiny Senior Advisory Committee. We invite and welcome your feedback and suggestions on how we can make Senior Tiny Times a valuable information resource for our Seniors.
Website: www.tiny.ca/seniors
Phone: 705-526-4204
Email: seniors@tiny.ca