As hard as it is to get started on advance planning, it’s better for everyone’s peace of mind (caregivers as well as the people they are caring for) if you talk about quality of life values, healthcare wishes, funeral planning, and prepare the necessary legal documents.
Most of us know how important this is, but few of us have exercised our legal right to advance planning. According to the Pew Research Center’s study in 2006:
- 71% of Americans have thought about their end-of-life treatment preferences.
- 95% had heard of a living will.
- Yet, only 29% had a living will.
So we encourage you to support The National Healthcare Decisions Day. This collaboration of national, state and community organizations is committed to ensuring that we all have the information and opportunity to communicate and document our healthcare decisions.
Here's the best way you can support this campaign: If you haven’t started your advance planning yet, make yourself a deadline of April 16, 2008.
Remember, this is something you and the person you are caring for can do together. Everyone benefits from the conversations and legal plans that come from advance planning.
Let us know how it went.
Take care,
Community Manager