SINGAPORE: Since Apr 1, the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 1 applications have been made permanently free for all Singapore citizens.
In a nutshell, the LPA is a legal document that allows individuals to appoint someone they trust to take charge of matters such as personal welfare and property if they lose the mental capacity to do so.
Form 1 – one of two ways to draw up an LPA – grants those appointed with general powers. Doing away with the S$70 application fee for this form, as announced on Mar 5, is aimed at encouraging people to be more active in their legacy planning.
But what does having an LPA mean and why is it important to plan early for one’s end-of-life scenarios?
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This is where the concept of death literacy comes in.
Death literacy refers to our ability to understand, talk and navigate issues surrounding dying, death and caregiving. It includes knowledge about end-of-life options, care plans and legal tools like the LPA, as well as emotional and social skills to have meaningful conversations about mortality.
Unfortunately, Singaporeans are sorely lacking in this aspect, going by the findings of the first Death Literacy Index conducted by the Singapore Hospice Council. For example, only 38 per cent knew how to access end-of-life resources and support within the community.
Less than one in three (31.9 per cent) was aware of how to navigate the healthcare system to support a dying person, and only one in four (26.4 per cent) was familiar with regulations involved when death occurs at home.
In many ways, death literacy is as important as financial or health literacy.
We accept the need to plan financially because as Singaporeans, we are practical and we know uncertainty, be it illness, ageing or loss of income, lies ahead. Death is even more certain, yet we often procrastinate or leave preparations to chance. When conversations are avoided, the cost is borne not by the individual alone, but by those left behind.
Understandably, death is a difficult topic for a variety of reasons, such as cultural norms about filial piety. The mindset that "I don't need this yet" is another prevalent factor, but avoiding the topic does not make death less real. It only makes the moment of reckoning harder.
Mr Y was an active 73-year-old until what began as flu-like symptoms worsened rapidly. He passed away two days after being rushed to the hospital. In those final hours, shrouded in shock, disbelief and grief, his family faced difficult decisions but was unsure of what to do or what Mr Y would have wanted.
Situations like these take place more often than imagined in hospital wards across Singapore. When hard conversations are left until a diagnosis or crisis, decisions about treatment or caregiving roles are often made under emotional duress.
In Mr Y’s case, there was a deep reluctance to talk about death and dying at home.
Because Mr Y’s wishes were never clearly expressed, his wife and children had to decide on the ceremonial rites, the photograph for the hearse, where to place his ashes, who to inform on his behalf without knowing if they were right. What they are left with is not just uncertainty, but also a lingering sense of guilt and wondering if they had truly honoured his wishes.
In instances when mental capacity is lost, tools such as the LPA can help reduce uncertainty and conflict.
Mr S was the main caregiver for his father who had dementia. As the elderly’s condition worsened, the lack of an LPA led to disagreements over care decisions – and eventually a serious fallout – between Mr S and his older brother.
Without a clear decision-maker, the conflict led to their father being placed in a nursing home. Tragically, Mr S did not get to see his father one last time before he passed. The fallout between the brothers has been lasting and the relationship may never fully heal.
It is worth noting that the value in legacy planning tools lies in the conversations they prompt about shared values, care preferences and family dynamics, not in speed or merely box-ticking. Without these conversations, an LPA would be rushed and hollow. It may even further create false reassurance and leave families unprepared for emotional complexity.
Legal tools work best only when they are supported by honest, ongoing discussions about values, fears and priorities.
Broaching these conversations can be unnerving, but it all begins with a shift in mindset - recognising that planning for one’s end-of-life is not morbid, but an act of care for loved ones.
It can be normalised in everyday life by using simple entry points: relevant storylines in movies or television, sharing thoughts and preferences when attending a wake, or talking about experiences of loved ones who have passed on during festivals.
By seizing these opportunities, families and communities can speak openly about mortality, making it a natural and responsible part of life rather than a taboo subject.
Meanwhile, the government can do more to make the LPA application process even easier.
Individuals who are ready to proceed with the creation of an LPA rely on their doctors to guide them, but not all doctors are certificate issuers which may be an obstacle for patients, especially those with mobility limitations.
In this case, there are organisations with community clinics that conduct sessions to help with the completion of life planning instruments. They facilitate the completion onsite in the clinic or even home visits for some.
To further improve access, one practical step is to empower and accredit more certificate issuers, including all medical doctors and community leaders. In addition, digital tools can be expanded to make planning more accessible, with appropriate safeguards in place to ensure security and proper assessment.
Coupled with clearer, step-by-step public education, this can help encourage more people to take that first step.
Think about it this way – if financial literacy helps a family prepare for economic uncertainty, death literacy helps families make informed choices and prepare for life’s end with dignity, clarity and mutual support. In a society that values preparedness and responsibility, death literacy deserves a place too.
Sim Bee Hia is the Executive Director of Singapore Hospice Council. Dr Norhisham bin Main is a palliative care consultant and board member of Singapore Hospice Council.
Continue reading...
In a nutshell, the LPA is a legal document that allows individuals to appoint someone they trust to take charge of matters such as personal welfare and property if they lose the mental capacity to do so.
Form 1 – one of two ways to draw up an LPA – grants those appointed with general powers. Doing away with the S$70 application fee for this form, as announced on Mar 5, is aimed at encouraging people to be more active in their legacy planning.
But what does having an LPA mean and why is it important to plan early for one’s end-of-life scenarios?
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
WHAT IS DEATH LITERACY
This is where the concept of death literacy comes in.
Death literacy refers to our ability to understand, talk and navigate issues surrounding dying, death and caregiving. It includes knowledge about end-of-life options, care plans and legal tools like the LPA, as well as emotional and social skills to have meaningful conversations about mortality.
Unfortunately, Singaporeans are sorely lacking in this aspect, going by the findings of the first Death Literacy Index conducted by the Singapore Hospice Council. For example, only 38 per cent knew how to access end-of-life resources and support within the community.
Less than one in three (31.9 per cent) was aware of how to navigate the healthcare system to support a dying person, and only one in four (26.4 per cent) was familiar with regulations involved when death occurs at home.
In many ways, death literacy is as important as financial or health literacy.
We accept the need to plan financially because as Singaporeans, we are practical and we know uncertainty, be it illness, ageing or loss of income, lies ahead. Death is even more certain, yet we often procrastinate or leave preparations to chance. When conversations are avoided, the cost is borne not by the individual alone, but by those left behind.
THE NEED FOR END-OF-LIFE CONVERSATIONS
Understandably, death is a difficult topic for a variety of reasons, such as cultural norms about filial piety. The mindset that "I don't need this yet" is another prevalent factor, but avoiding the topic does not make death less real. It only makes the moment of reckoning harder.
Mr Y was an active 73-year-old until what began as flu-like symptoms worsened rapidly. He passed away two days after being rushed to the hospital. In those final hours, shrouded in shock, disbelief and grief, his family faced difficult decisions but was unsure of what to do or what Mr Y would have wanted.
Situations like these take place more often than imagined in hospital wards across Singapore. When hard conversations are left until a diagnosis or crisis, decisions about treatment or caregiving roles are often made under emotional duress.
In Mr Y’s case, there was a deep reluctance to talk about death and dying at home.
Because Mr Y’s wishes were never clearly expressed, his wife and children had to decide on the ceremonial rites, the photograph for the hearse, where to place his ashes, who to inform on his behalf without knowing if they were right. What they are left with is not just uncertainty, but also a lingering sense of guilt and wondering if they had truly honoured his wishes.
Related:
ROLE OF LEGACY PLANNING TOOLS
In instances when mental capacity is lost, tools such as the LPA can help reduce uncertainty and conflict.
Mr S was the main caregiver for his father who had dementia. As the elderly’s condition worsened, the lack of an LPA led to disagreements over care decisions – and eventually a serious fallout – between Mr S and his older brother.
Without a clear decision-maker, the conflict led to their father being placed in a nursing home. Tragically, Mr S did not get to see his father one last time before he passed. The fallout between the brothers has been lasting and the relationship may never fully heal.
It is worth noting that the value in legacy planning tools lies in the conversations they prompt about shared values, care preferences and family dynamics, not in speed or merely box-ticking. Without these conversations, an LPA would be rushed and hollow. It may even further create false reassurance and leave families unprepared for emotional complexity.
Legal tools work best only when they are supported by honest, ongoing discussions about values, fears and priorities.
Related:
Broaching these conversations can be unnerving, but it all begins with a shift in mindset - recognising that planning for one’s end-of-life is not morbid, but an act of care for loved ones.
It can be normalised in everyday life by using simple entry points: relevant storylines in movies or television, sharing thoughts and preferences when attending a wake, or talking about experiences of loved ones who have passed on during festivals.
By seizing these opportunities, families and communities can speak openly about mortality, making it a natural and responsible part of life rather than a taboo subject.
MORE TO BE DONE
Meanwhile, the government can do more to make the LPA application process even easier.
Individuals who are ready to proceed with the creation of an LPA rely on their doctors to guide them, but not all doctors are certificate issuers which may be an obstacle for patients, especially those with mobility limitations.
In this case, there are organisations with community clinics that conduct sessions to help with the completion of life planning instruments. They facilitate the completion onsite in the clinic or even home visits for some.
Related:
To further improve access, one practical step is to empower and accredit more certificate issuers, including all medical doctors and community leaders. In addition, digital tools can be expanded to make planning more accessible, with appropriate safeguards in place to ensure security and proper assessment.
Coupled with clearer, step-by-step public education, this can help encourage more people to take that first step.
Think about it this way – if financial literacy helps a family prepare for economic uncertainty, death literacy helps families make informed choices and prepare for life’s end with dignity, clarity and mutual support. In a society that values preparedness and responsibility, death literacy deserves a place too.
Sim Bee Hia is the Executive Director of Singapore Hospice Council. Dr Norhisham bin Main is a palliative care consultant and board member of Singapore Hospice Council.
Continue reading...