Jarvis Law Office

A Free Memorial Offered at Hospital

A unique art form is being offered as a memorial at a hospital in Texas, according to The New York Times in "Hands of the Dying Offer a Unique Memorial."

The memorial is offered by an administrative assistant at the Baylor University Medical Center in Texas. The artist will create a custom cast of the hand of any dying patient, who requests it. The casts are specific to the patient and detailed enough to include even the smallest scars and veins. The casts are normally made with the patient holding the hand of another family member.

A husband might have a cast of his hand holding that of his wife, for example. The administrative assistant does not charge anyone for this service.

A similar service is obviously not available everywhere. However, many elderly people and their families might want to use it as inspiration to find their own unique ways to be memorialized.

Reference: New York Times (March 7, 2017) "Hands of the Dying Offer a Unique Memorial."

Setting up a Memorial Fund Can Be a Challenge

Setting up and maintaining a memorial fund to support charity can have its challenges but the New York Times recently published an article with tips on making it successful in "Honoring a Loved One with a Charitable Fund," including:

• Crowdsource Collections - Several different websites can be used to collect money online. Utilizing them is a good way to reach thousands of potential donors quickly.
• Outsource Management - A memorial fund requires a lot of time and effort to maintain legally. Professional management companies can be used to take care of everything, but they can be expensive.
• Outsource Paperwork - Other professional agencies will allow families to say how the fund’s assets should be distributed and take care of all of the required paperwork. These donor-advised funds are a good intermediate option for many families not wanting to give complete control of the fund over to a management company.

An estate planning attorney can guide you through the process that leaves your loved ones honored in a lasting way.

Reference: New York Times (Sept. 30, 2016) "Honoring a Loved One with a Charitable Fund."