Prepare for the Unexpected with Advanced Care Planning
By Senior Marketing Specialist Lyla DeTavernier
Customer-owners can start advance care planning conversations and share their wishes with loved ones, friends, and health care teams.
Caring for loved ones often means giving others peace of mind, respecting their wishes, and improving their quality of life. When you have conversations about advance care planning, you are doing all these things and so much more. The following scenario is fictitious but demonstrates how advance care and planning can protect your loved ones’ wishes.
Anna and David Anderson went on their winter cabin trip as they do every year, but this year’s trip ended abruptly. While trail riding, David’s snowmachine hit a tree stump hidden under the snow and he was ejected. After David was evacuated to the hospital, providers determined he had a severe brain injury. He was unconscious and unable to make his own medical decisions. Not knowing when or if David would regain consciousness, Anna found herself in the position of making decisions on his behalf, knowing that he may have limited abilities to interact with others and care for himself.
Luckily, the Andersons were prepared to make these medical choices regarding his care.
Before the accident, Anna and David had conversations about their values and health care wishes. David shared a story about a friend who had a brain injury. He told Anna that if he were ever in a similar situation, he would want to do everything possible to get better, but he would never want to be kept alive on machines if it was determined he may never be able to interact with his loved ones. He also shared that he wanted Anna to be his spokesperson if he was ever unable to speak for himself, since he felt she knew him best.
These conversations led to the completion of a document called an advance health care directive, which is a legally binding document that protects the wishes of your loved ones. It records the medical wishes of advance care planning conversations, protects an individual’s health care rights, and guides families and health care teams when making medical decisions. There are two important parts to an advance health care directive. Part one is choosing a health care agent, also known as a durable power of attorney. Part two is providing instructions for health care, and is known as a living will.
Southcentral Foundation Palliative Medicine Physician Chris Piromalli is a palliative support consultant and an advocate for customer-owners beginning conversations about preparing for the unexpected.
“One of the most important parts of an advance health care directive is picking a health care agent, an individual who you trust and knows you well. This way you can sit down and share your values and medical wishes with this person,” Piromalli shared. “Advance care planning conversations are a gift to the people you love.”
Health care agents do not have to be direct relatives or friends, but they should meet certain criteria. While the Andersons shared their health care wishes during conversation, David discussed his quality of life and addressed situations that would relieve his family from the burden of making difficult decisions on his behalf. He identified Anna as someone who:
- Is well-known to him.
- Understands his medical wishes.
- Is trustworthy to speak as his voice.
- Is easily reachable.
- Is over the age of 18.
While David was in the hospital, Anna was able to reflect on their advance care planning conversations to understand what medical decisions were best for David in this difficult situation.
Advance health care directives support customer-owners in a variety of situations, including wishes regarding CPR, life support, artificial nutrition, and more. Planning can begin as early as age 18.
“I always recommend starting advance care planning conversations early since we never know when an unexpected event may happen. These are lifelong conversations with the people we love,” Piromalli shared. “I recommend reviewing your advance health care directive annually, or when major life events occur to make sure the document accurately reflects your wishes. If you need to make changes, you may complete a new advance health care directive at any time.”
Customer-owners are encouraged to start conversations about their wishes with family members and loved ones.
Those interested in starting advance care planning or completing an advance health care directive can connect with their primary care providers directly or visit www.southcentralfoundation.com/aging-well.
