Today,
April 16, 2014, Hospice of Southern Illinois celebrates National Healthcare
Decisions Day by spreading the word to the communities we serve about planning
now for peace of mind later. Planning is what we do. We plan our work
schedules, social lives, meetings, dinner dates, when we can afford a new pair
of shoes, what time to work out and even for special events. If we plan for all
of this and more, why not plan for peace of mind? This is the question that
really gets left behind in the day-to-day shuffle. Let’s get one more thing
checked off that to do list: prepare an advance directive, an important
healthcare decision.
An advance
directive is a fancy way of saying preparing legal documents that “direct” what
to do in “advance” before a healthcare crisis strikes. In short, an advance
directive includes two legal documents that protect your right to refuse or
request medical treatment in the event you lose the ability to make decisions
for yourself. The two legal documents include the “Illinois Power of Attorney
for Health Care” and “Illinois Living Will.”
People are
encouraged to get a business-card sized piece of paper and put it in a purse or
wallet. On that card note a name, who the healthcare power of attorney is,
their contact information and any other information you see fit. Keep it
simple. In the time of healthcare crisis, this allows people around you who may
not know your healthcare decisions to know who to call or what to do. Great idea!
{Wallet Card Example}
The National
Hospice and Palliative Care Organization provides great information to assist
in learning about making these decisions and help navigate through those legal
documents: http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3284.
Furthermore, the Illinois Department of Public Health website, http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/books/advin.htm,
provides the documents that can be used to make these decisions. So, take one
hour to make these decisions, share them with those you care about and give
yourself (and others) peace of mind. Hospice of Southern Illinois also has a
team who is able to help if you need assistance with any steps along the way.
Help us share, educate, and reach
out by subscribing to our blog and suggesting it to friends who will spread our
message: Hospice of Southern Illinois is
here to teach you what hospice is, what we are about, and what we can do for
you and your loved ones. No one has to go through the dying process alone.
Hospice of Southern Illinois can help.
Live well, laugh often, and love much,
Christine Juehne
Hospice of Southern Illinois
Community Education
1-800-233-1708
www.hospice.org
No comments:
Post a Comment