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Song aims to take taboo out of end-of-life planning

Posted at 6:58 AM, Apr 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-20 07:58:34-04

LIBERTY, Mo. — No one likes talking about getting old, but it’s inevitable. Now there is a new tool to help you plan for the future, or your parents’s future.

It's called the “Compose your Life” song. Home Instead Senior Care developed the questionnaire of sorts. As you answer questions online, program creates an instrumental song about your life.

But all the while, it forces you to plan for things like whether your parent should be in assisted living or their own home.

"Maybe the senior wants something one way and one child is in agreement, but another child may not be and it causes tension. That's not the point where you want that tension to come up. You want a plan in place," explained Steve Boos, with Home Instead. 

He added talking about end-of-life topics can be taboo. Developers of this song hope the concept makes those conversations easier.

Boos said studies show more than 70 percent of seniors have written a will and nearly 90 percent want to live their final days at their own home. But the overwhelming majority of families haven't communicated those plans, or developed ways to pay for long term care. 

"Even things like their bucket list. Have they thought about things they want to do that are important to them? Having critical conversations with people you should," Boos pointed out things families should consider.

Click here to create your own song and get a conversation started.