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Protect Your Medical Decisions… Address Those End Of Life Decisions

heart-to-heart-logo-copyIssue 34.09

Lately I have had the unfortunate experience of working with a family that had not prepared themselves for a medical emergency.  They had talked about their Advanced Directives, but had not filled out or signed the paperwork  Because of this, the family has been left to make all the medical decisions for the patient.  This has added an enormous amount of emotional distress in an already difficult situation.

An Advanced Directive is a medical form that allows you to outline, in writing, your wishes for medical treatment should you become incapacitated.

Discussing your decisions with your family is NOT enough.  If you have not taken the time to outline your medical decisions on paper, the doctors will look to the family to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself.  Even though the family may be aware of your wishes, during this emotionally charged time they will most likely follow their hearts regarding treatment.  These decisions may or may not reflect your own choices.  This is a terrible burden to place on those you love, and can tear families apart.  By being prepared and having your Advanced Directives in place, your family will not be placed in a position to have to make life altering medical decisions for you.

It is extremely difficult to make educated medical decisions during a crisis.  Preparing your Advanced Directives should be done prior to it being necessary, and during a time when you are able to sit and really think about what medical treatment and lifesaving measures you want.

An Advanced Directive or a Physicians Order for Life Sustaining Treatment addresses your end-of-life decisions.  These documents explain your wishes in case the condition becomes terminal while you are incapacitated.  You are able to outline in these documents when and under what circumstances life-sustaining measures should be aggressively pursued or withheld.  The documents can be changed as often as necessary to keep it updated.

Make sure that your physician is provided with a copy of your Advanced Directives so that they are aware of your treatment wishes.  These papers will become a part of your medical records, and the doctors will then be able to direct any medical team regarding the care and treatment you want provided or withheld.

Quality of life is a subjectively defined experience and people value aspects of their lives differently.  Let people know what your desires are.  Fill out, and sign, your Advanced Directives paperwork.  These papers can be provided by your physician or can be found on the internet.

Take the time to get this done, so your family is spared the agony of make decisions for you.

Laura Kelso is the owner/manager of Heart to Heart Home Care.  With 25 years experience in nurturing and caring for people, Heart to Heart Home Care has the ability to help meet all your non-medical caregiving needs.  To contact Heart to Heart Home Care please call 435-986-1077.  We look forward to hearing from you.

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