National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16th!
Healthcare is a fundamental need for every person for the entirety of their life. At times we may not be able to speak for ourselves or are unable to make sound healthcare decisions.
It is imperative for everyone to have a plan for these situations, and having a health care document and proxy decision maker in place is vital.
Every April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day - and a good time to review your documents or begin to create your plan. There are organizations that have information and resources to access which will educate, support and provide guidance and documents to help you along the way. Some of these include:
www.fivewishes.org
www.nhpco.org
https://theconversationproject.org
Your local hospital and physician’s office should have pamphlets and information available for you as well.
To complete a document called an “Advance Directive” means you are determining what you want to happen to you in the event you cannot state your wishes yourself. This ensures you are in charge of your healthcare decisions and inform your healthcare providers of your wishes.
Important is to update this document annually - a good reminder is to review every National Healthcare Decisions Day - in case your wishes change, or your agent changes. Your agent should be trusted and well informed of your wishes, and able to be reached in case you are unable to speak for yourself. They should have a copy of your documents also. Taking time to reflect on your wishes and discussing them with your agent will ensure you are both comfortable with your document and your agent’s role in advocating for you.
Completing such an important document can be intimidating - but you can put your choices in your own words and write them out and describe them as best as you are able to. The entire document does not need to be completed - you can complete only the sections you are comfortable with.
It is not necessary to have your Advance Directive notarized in most states - but if you were to travel to a state where it is required, your Directive may not be considered binding. Safest is to have your Directive notarized, as well as signed by two witnesses.
Remember that your Advance Directive can be changed at any time to reflect any changes in your wishes. Reach out to the resources included here, or contact us with any questions.
Every state has a website with an Advance Directive document you can download, as well as their specific regulations. Here is a link via AARP that will allow you to find your state specific document.
And remember, Azimuth Healthcare is here to help! Contact us today for a free, no-obligation assessment and learn how we can help with your specific needs.
Sources: FiveWishes, AARP, National Healthcare Decisions Day, NHPCO, The Conversation Project.
