April 16th is more than just the day after the deadline for filing your taxes It is also National Healthcare Decisions Day. What does that mean? If you have ever gone to a hospital, the admission representative probably asked you if you had a Living Will or Advance Directive. National Healthcare Decision day is the perfect day to start the conversation with your loved ones about your wishes if you are seriously ill or injured and unable to speak for yourself.
As Ira Byock, MD explained, “I have an advance directive not because I have a serious illness, but because I have a family.” Advance Directives or Living Wills aren’t just for seniors. All adults should have one.
So, how do you get started? If you are working with a patient advocate they can help you. There are many different Living Will documents. We recommend “Five Wishes,” an easy to complete booklet which addresses medical, personal, emotional and spiritual needs.
Five Wishes is meets all legal requirements in 42 states and can be attached to state required forms in the other 8 states. More than 18 million people around the world have completed Five Wishes. Today is a great day to start the conversation. http://www.agingwithdignity.org/five-wishes.php
