Death is a fact of life.

Most people don't like to think about it, but they should take several steps to prepare for the inevitable.

Those steps were the topic of a seminar hosted by Rev. Dr. Becky J. Beckwith, senior pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ in Fullerton, Sept. 20.

Guest speakers Rev. Nancy Adams, coordinator of pastoral care at St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, and Jay Gilbert, funeral director, addressed the legal procedures necessary to prepare for death.

"We are here tonight to help us look at us as children of God, and that we are mortals where something is going to happen to us someday, and are we willing to talk about it," said Adams.

Topics such as creating a power of attorney, executor, end-of-life decision making, spiritual and legal perspectives, death in hospital, death at home and artificial nutrition and hydration were discussed through the story of Sam and Ethel and their journey during Ethel's debilitating state.

Ethel and Sam, an elderly couple with three grown children and grandchildren, are out to dinner when suddenly Ethel becomes fatally ill and is rushed to the hospital. Sam and Ethel haven't discussed what Ethel would want in terms of hospitalization, life support, estate and funeral arraignments.

The doctor asks an anxious Sam questions concerning these topics, but Sam doesn't know how to answer. Sam learns he has no legal rights in deciding Ethel's wishes because he was not granted a power of attorney or appointed as a health care agent.

"We try to help people eliminate throwing away a loved one's wishes because of something that wasn't done right," Adams said.

Adams and Gilbert continued to discuss the importance of making arrangements before a loved one dies. They both stressed that people should name a power of attorney or a health care agent while they still have their health. If wishes are not written in advance and the person becomes sick without naming someone, that person's wishes may not be honored.

"There can be better deaths than what we see in society today, but that can only happen if we prepare," said Adams.

Act 169, a state law that took effect in 2006, offers a way to help people arrange and prepare all aspects of death, said Adams and Gilbert. This act addresses advance health care directives and decision-making for someone who is unable to render his or her own decisions. Before 2006, no such framework existed.

Writing a living will and naming someone to make decisions and take care of you when you no longer can care for yourself are the best steps to take in preparation for dying, the speakers said.

"I like the way the speakers are presenting with dialogue back and forth, and I think it is very informative," said DonnaLee Yeatts, of Whitehall, who attended the seminar. "It's important for people to talk about this subject because it is difficult, but you have to because left in that position you need to know what your loved ones wanted."

"The seminar is very informative, but I didn't realize how complicated the process of preparation is," said Ron Smith of Allentown.

"I'm glad I came, there's a lot of information that I didn't know about," added Noreen Miller of Whitehall.

For more information about the end of life issues or St. John's UCC, call 610-264-8421.