Up until that point, it had never really come up. Not when things were fine, and not when they first started to change. It was one of those things you assume you’ll deal with if you ever need to.

Because when Mum died, we thought the hardest part would be the funeral. The grief. Sitting in a quiet house that suddenly felt too big.

Across the island of Ireland, Plan Ahead Day (7th May 2025) acknowledges the importance of planning ahead for future health and social care needs.