Welcome, everyone. The purpose of this lesson is to help you consider what's important to you for your future healthcare. We call this advanced care planning. When is the right time to do advanced care planning? Seems like there's never a good time. Life often gets in the way, people get busy, and it always seems too early until it's too late. Even Mr. Rabbit from the book "Alice in Wonderland" was late to his very important date. The goals of this module are to help you have a conversation about your wishes with someone whom you want to be involved in your healthcare. We also want to encourage you to complete the important paperwork that's involved. First, let's take time to review frequently asked questions about advanced care planning. Knowing the answers to these questions will help you understand more about the process. Maybe you've heard these words before but aren't quite sure what they are. These are also in your glossary of terms. A Living Will is a document that describes the healthcare you want. A Medical Durable Power of Attorney or MDPOA lists your health care agent or medical decision-maker, someone who will make decisions for you if you cannot make them for yourself. An Advance Directive is a form you complete that both lists your health care agent and tells your family and healthcare providers the kind of care you would want if you were sick and not able to speak for yourself. An Advance Directive is both a Living Will and an MDPOA. So, who should have an Advance Directive? Everyone should. It's easier to think about these decisions when you're healthy. Dealing with serious illness can be very stressful, especially when they're important decisions to be made. So, we really encourage you to make these difficult decisions when you're well, long before things become stressful due to incapacitating health conditions. Why learn about Advance Directives? Because they're valuable tools that help you protect your right to make health care choices that can affect your life. They also help your loved ones avoid the responsibility and stress of making difficult decisions without knowing what it is you would want. They provide guidelines for your care. Having an Advance Directive is like having a toolbox. If something is broken at home, you always have the tools available to fix it. So, what happens if you don't have an Advance Directive? Well, it depends on where you live. The process varies from state to state, and I'm sure from country to country. Where I live in the US, in Colorado, the law states that interested parties need to meet and select the person best able to speak on their behalf. Interested parties may include a spouse, an adult child, a parent, friend, or neighbor, or even an ex-spouse. That's why it's so important to choose the right health care agent for you. So, what does your health care agent really need to know? Well, he or she needs to know what's important to you. This includes your values, your preferences, and your wishes. Who can or should be your health care agent? A family member or trusted friend who can speak on your behalf and make decisions for your care if you're not able to. Be sure to share your feelings and wishes with them. So, what if my family or health care agent does not really want to talk about this with me? Let them know that this is important to you and should be taken seriously. Expressing your wishes to those closest to you can be very comforting to them in a time of crisis and really helps them to honor what you value the most. Perhaps this is a consideration when you choose your agent, as this is important and they should be willing to discuss this while you're well if at all possible. So, what if I changed my mind after I've already completed my Advance Directive? You can always change the document at anytime. You should also discuss your wishes regularly with your family, your health care agent, and your healthcare team. Where should I put the completed Advance Directive document? Keep a copy for yourself and your loved ones. Give a copy to your primary healthcare provider, any specialists involved in your care, and the hospital you use. Everyone you can think of, who might be contacted in the event you become unable to speak for yourself, should have a copy of this document or know where to find it easily. Put your Advance Directive in a safe place, but one that's easily accessible. For example, I have mine in a file labeled important documents in my desk at home. Some people uploaded and keep it in a cloud-based file so it can be found very quickly. Other people take a picture of it and keep it on their phones. Lastly, keep a card in your wallet, stating you have an Advance Directive and where to find it. Join the movement. Have an Advance Directive. Thanks for your time.
