The Podcast by KevinMD How to prepare for your death
Oct 31, 2025
Joseph Pepe, a physician executive and retired hospital CEO, shares valuable insights on end-of-life planning. He emphasizes creating a 'death folder' full of essential documents to ease loved ones' burdens. Joseph discusses the importance of estate planning and the distinction between advance directives and other legal documents. He encourages reframing these discussions as acts of love, helping families focus on healing rather than chaos. Ultimately, he highlights how accepting mortality can create a more meaningful life.
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Lived Experience Shaping Perspective
- Joseph Pepe describes being paralyzed after a car accident at 17 and later working in many care roles during training.
- Those early experiences and later roles shaped his perspective of being "on all sides of the bed."
Preparation Prevents Post-Death Chaos
- Sixty percent of adults lack advance directives and only 31% have a will, leaving families scrambling.
- Preparing documents and a checklist minimizes chaos and lets loved ones grieve.
Create A Complete Estate Packet
- Do assemble an estate-planning packet: living will, healthcare proxy, DPOA, HIPAA releases, and optionally DNR/POLST.
- Update and store a checklist with passwords and financial info so loved ones can access accounts quickly.