Will and Testament?

Hello!

Thank you visiting the official Evolve Senior Solutions, LLC blog, written by Danielle Harris, MSN, BSN, RN, CDP A.K.A - A RN: Disclosed.

As a Care Manager of many years, I have found that many people are not planning for the times, when they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves. There are many terms used to describe preparing for that time. One term is end of life care planning, or advance care planning, or advanced directives, they all mean the same things, but different people use different terminology.

You may already be thinking, what does all of this mean and why is it important anyway, well in lieu of the holiday season, it is a good time to talk with your family about whether these documents are in place or not. So, I am going to take this week to discuss as well as provide a simple resource to get the process going. Advance care planning, is a complex task, and should be done in sessions, if you find it to be overwhelming. This is just a little information to get you started, not all inclusive. It is best to talk with your health care providers as well once you are ready to make things official.

I want to first provide an explanation on the documents, by using this simple info-graphic.

Once you have completed each portion of the above, then it is determined that you completed your end of life care planning, or advance care planning, or advanced directives. One thing to note, is not everyone would want a Do Not Resuscitate Form (DNR), this decision is made on an individual basis. Everyone should have these documents completed, the Durable Power of Attorney of Health Care, states patients with Alzheimer’s, because it’s the common time it is seen used; although it is best if everyone has one.

Now for a resource you can use to get started: the 5 Wishes document. On the site for ( https://www.agingwithdignity.org/ ) 5 Wishes, it states, “Five Wishes has become America’s most popular living will because it is written in everyday language and helps start and structure important conversations about care in times of serious illness.” I believe this statement to be true, because as a Care Manager, I refer patients to this document and also supply my patients with this document and they all tell me it was easier than they thought. If you are a great “Google” searcher, you can find it on different reliable websites for free or you can pay $5 to access online, at https://www.agingwithdignity.org/ or have the book mailed to you.

For some current, “in the news” information, read and review: http://khn.org/news/many-still-sidestep-end-of-life-care-planning-study-finds/.

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