Hospice
The purpose of hospice is to bring the highest quality of life to someone's last days. This environment invites those people with terminal illnesses to live comfortably, instead of living out their last days in a hospital and undergoing constant procedures and tests. Hospice workers have a different approach to medical care. They focus more on pain management and the spiritual and emotional aspects of dying -- not only for the patient, but for the family as well.

Burial decisions
Advance planning is becoming more and more popular as people realize how comforting it can be to have tough decisions already made -- before they have to be. The death of a loved one is never easy. But trying to make decisions during such an emotionally challenging time can be extremely difficult.

You can interview different funeral homes in advance, and inquire about services and prices. Writing specific burial instructions into a will ensures that no one has to guess what the deceased would have wanted.

If you are faced with making decisions immediately after a loved one's death, there are steps you can take to reduce some of the stress. First, if decisions don't need to be made right away, don't make them. Wait until you've had some time to grieve. If decisions do need to be made immediately, ask some trusted friends to help. They may not be as emotionally distracted as you are, and they will be able to play a role in guiding you to objective decisions.