That is THE question. Would there be a point at which you would say “enough is enough, this fate is worse than death,” or have you ever contemplated that thought?
I recently met with an Oregon resident to assist her in filling out her living will and healthcare power-of-attorney, and she said something that really struck me: “We take time to plan vacations and so many other things, but we don’t think about taking time to plan for this?” And she’s right! But it’s time for that to change.
Every day, thousands of people are suddenly ill or injured to the point that they cannot communicate how far they want care to go. There are all sorts of invasive, intense interventions to keep someone alive…but that doesn’t mean that everyone would WANT those types of interventions. That’s where we come in!
In honor of National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16, we want to remind you that we offer FREE assistance with Advance Care Planning to anyone in the community (age 18+)! Conversations can be done via phone, video chat, or in-person at a location that is comfortable for you. A certified facilitator will guide an individual through a specific set of questions that will help identify their goals and values; then, the facilitator will assist the individual with completing their documents – called Advance Directives. This type of planning is for every adult regardless of their health status. Emergencies happen every day; why not have a plan for them?