Funeral and estate planning for people living with HIV/AIDS: Some preliminary points

Abstract

The issue of funeral and estate planning should form part of HIV counselling, but this presupposes knowledge on the part of the counsellors/social workers/health care providers of basic legal principles underpinning the field of funeral and estate planning. Moreover, funeral and estate planning is often grounded in culture and religion, and perceptions of death, after-life, care of those left behind (‘legacy\', ‘inheritance\', etc.), burial and burial ceremonies, etc. This also relates to family relationships and family organisational structures and goes beyond the particular patient or client who visits a health establishment, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) service or counselling service. There may be a need for a patient/client brochure on this, possibly translated into all the official languages.
Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine Vol. 5 (3) 2004: 47-48