These are not a script for a lawyer. They are for clarity and love: what they want remembered, how they want to be cared for, and where the papers live so the family isn’t guessing later.
Ask one or two at a time. Type the answer, or record on the phone if they’ll let you. Silence is allowed.
A kind short list
- What do you want us to know about how you want to be cared for if you can’t speak for yourself?
- Who do you trust to make medical decisions if you can’t — and have you told them?
- Where do the important papers live (will, insurance, passwords, house documents) — not only in a box nobody can open on a Sunday?
- Is there anyone we should call first if something happens?
- What story from your life do you most want the grandkids (or the next generation) to hear in your own words?
- How did you and Mom/Dad (or your partner) meet — the real version, not the polished one?
- What was a hard year you got through, and what helped?
- What are you most proud of that we might not know about?
- Is there anything you’ve been waiting for someone to ask?
- What do you hope we remember about you when you’re not in the room?
- Are there family recipes, songs, or traditions you want kept — and who should hold them?
- If we only had one more ordinary afternoon together, how would you want to spend it?
How to keep the answers
Phone voice memos and notes get lost in the scroll. A private Storybook is a chapter for answers that stay with the people you invite — not a public feed. What you save today is what the family can open again in five, ten, or fifteen years.
Kinnect is invite-only Family Membership: you and five people you choose. $20 a year. Storybooks for the questions worth sitting with. People you ask. A Journal if you need a private page of your own.
Start with one question tonight. Save the answer where your kin can find it again.
FAQ
What end of life questions should I ask my parents?
Ask about care wishes, who should decide if they can’t speak, where papers live, stories they want the next generation to hear, and how they’d want one more ordinary afternoon — then save answers in a private Storybook.
Are these questions legal or medical advice?
No. They prepare a family conversation. Wills, medical decisions, and care plans still need a qualified attorney or clinician.
Where should I save their answers?
In Kinnect Storybooks inside invite-only Family Membership ($20/year for six seats). Type answers, or record on the phone if they’ll let you — then keep the file with the Storybook, not lost in a chat scroll.
