April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day
When a loved one nears the end of his or her life, there are important decisions to make — decisions that few families are prepared for. That “oh no” moment when you realize your ailing mother might not recover from a stroke or your father is nearing the end of late-stage renal disease leaves you and other family members emotionally confused about exactly what’s the best thing to do. It doesn’t help that your ailing loved one is in such a fragile state that he or she is unable to make any decisions on her own.
This situation is what National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) aims to address. Held Tuesday, April 16th, NHDD raises awareness on how to prepare for the important end-of-life care decisions we all will eventually face. NHDD emphasizes mapping out an advance directive complete with designating a healthcare power of attorney and creating living will.
Watch this video for more information about NHDD:
Tips from the video on how to make a plan
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- Think about what’s right for you.
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- What medical treatments would you want or not want if you were unlikely to survive?
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- What’s meaningful for you? Spiritual support? Having family nearby? Being at home?
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- Name a substitute decision maker — someone who can speak for you when you cannot.
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- If you can, put your wishes in writing.
- Talk to your family and your healthcare team about your wishes.
Physicians Choice Private Duty currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of the available care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. All Encompass services are directed by registered nurses or social workers with no long-term contracts. Contact us today for help with your senior care needs.
“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the problems families face in finding home health care providers they can trust. Providers who will focus on strategies that keep parents in their homes. To learn more about our health care services, visit http://www.encompass-home-health-care.com.”