The New Year - A Good Time To Tackle Difficult Things
Let's face it: No one wants to think about the end of their life. Because of this, many of us do not have end of life plans to ensure our affairs are in order. Making sure your wishes are followed as your life nears its end is important; after all, they are your wishes!
Melissa Healy, in a recent Los Angeles Times "booster shots" blog, tackled the difficult subject of "getting your affairs in order." The post links to a Guide Book for those with a serious illness to help get their affairs in order. The guide book was published by the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Although Ms. Healy's entry is based upon receiving bad news from a health care provider, it contains good information for all of us to consider as the new year approaches.
The Guide Book discusses, in fairly good detail, step-by-step instructions on the following areas:
- Planning how you will pay for the healthcare you need;
- Making a plan for the management of your health and personal decisions during your illness;
- Making a plan for the management of your money and property;
- Planning for the care of dependents;Knowing your rights as a patient;
- Knowing your rights as an employee; and
- Getting your legal documents in order.
Although all of these areas are important, for nursing home residents, perhaps the most important area is that of making a plan for the management of your health and personal decisions. If you cannot make your wishes known, you want to make certain they have been previously documented or someone who knows your wishes is legally able to make them known for you.
In Idaho, there is a specific law governing "living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care." This is just the document to make sure your desires are known and a the appropriate person is able to legally make decisions about your health care when you cannot. Such decisions include, for example, the level of care desired, including whether a "do not resuscitate" or "DNR" is properly carried out.
End of life decisions are difficult things to think about, let alone put on paper. Carefully considering the care you wish to receive, with input from, among others, family, friends, medical care providers and, perhaps, clergy, is critical. If you do not plan, and put your wishes to paper in a legally enforceable document, your wishes may not be followed. That would be a tragedy.
Take the turning of the year to decide what you want concerning your health care. Make a plan and make your wishes known. There is no better time to do so.
