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Simple Steps To Improve Your Advance Directive

November 9, 2015

Improve Your Advance Directive

An advance directive is an essential step in making sure end-of-life requests are met. Sometimes called a healthcare power of attorney or living will, an advance directive is simply a statement in writing that acts as a guide for medical personnel, so they know what type of care to give in the event a patient becomes cognitively incapacitated.

Having An Advance Directive Isn’t Always Enough

Approximately 26 percent of people in the United States have written an advance directive. If you are among this percentage of people, that is great news. However, just having an advance directive is not a guarantee your wishes will be carried out.

Seven Steps To Improve Your Advance Directive

Our organization has come up with seven tips to make sure your advance directive is executed per your specifications.

  1. Ask your doctor if your medical records show that you have an advance directive on file. Make sure your records indicate where a copy can be located.
  2. Find a healthcare surrogate who is assertive enough to speak on your behalf. Each time you need to go to a new healthcare provider, medical facility or hospital, make sure your advance directive is on file.
  3. In order to gain a complete perspective on your end-of-life choices, take some time to learn more about life-sustaining treatments and resuscitation.
  4. Make sure your advance directive is updated each year. It is common for people to change their minds with the passing of time in regards to their end-of-life wishes.
  5. Put your advance directive in a place that is easy to locate. A copy should be not only kept at home, but also given to your close friends, family and healthcare surrogate. There are even websites and apps that let you store your advance directive on the internet for 24-hour availability. Be sure to replace your advance directive in all locations each time you make any changes to it.
  6. Share the advance directive with your close friends, family and surrogate, so they can understand the thought process behind your wishes.
  7. Talk to your all of your physicians, including specialists, and healthcare team members about your advance directive.

The Purpose of Any Advance Directive

The purpose of any advance directive is to make sure those you trust and love understand exactly what you want in the event you are unable to make your wishes known. It is possible that a doctor of family member can go against the requests in your advance directive by stating he knows best. To prevent this from occurring, be sure everyone in your life is clear that an advance directive is a decision made when you are mentally sound; therefore, you expect the advance directive to be carried out.

Filed Under: Hospice News Tagged With: Improve Your Advance Directive

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    • Caring For Veterans
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    • Medical Treatment During Hospice
  • Conditions Cared For
    ▶
    • ALS
    • Cancer
    • Dementia and Alzheimers
    • Heart Disease
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    • Kidney Failure/Renal Failure
    • Lung Disease
    • Neurological Diseases
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      ▶
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      • Glen Allen, VA
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  • Resources
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    • Advance Care Planning
      ▶
      • Advance Directives For Cancer Patients
      • Advance Directives For COPD Patients
      • Advance Directives for Dementia Patients
      • Advance Directives For Patients With Heart Failure
      • Advance Directives Overview
      • Artificial Nutrition and Hydration
      • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
      • Do Not Intubate (DNI) Order
      • Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order
      • Medical Power of Attorney
      • What is a Living Will?
    • Caregiving
      ▶
      • Being Safe at Home
      • Caring For Individuals In Pain
      • Organizational Tips for Caregivers
      • Providing Care
      • Supporting the Caregiver
      • The Dying Process
    • COVID-19
      ▶
      • How to Avoid Burnout
      • How to Balance Work and Life
      • The Importance of Self-Care
      • Tips to Reduce Stress at Work
    • Grief and Loss
      ▶
      • Helping Children Cope With Grief
      • A Guide For Grieving Parents
      • Experiencing Grief
      • Supporting Someone Who is Grieving
      • Talking to Loved Ones About End-of-Life
    • Hospice Patients Resources
      ▶
      • Living During End of life
      • Talking To Children About Death
      • Talking About Your Illness
    • Pain Management
      ▶
      • Generic Drugs
      • Myths About Pain
      • Pain Management Frequently Asked Questions
      • Prescription Pain Relievers
      • Relieving Pain Without Medication
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