If you or a loved one are:

• Over the age of 70
• Have a chronic disease that is life-limiting
• Have a serious illness in the advanced stage

It is time to talk to your family and your doctor about advanced care planning.

How to Break the Ice

If your family or physician needs encouragement to have a frank discussion with you regarding a life-limiting illness, here are some ideas for what you can say that may help:

• "Even though talking about it may be difficult, I want to talk about it."
• "I appreciate what you've done for me/my loved one."
• "I understand that not every disease can be cured."
• "Talking about it isn't giving up - it is facing reality."
• "I won't feel abandoned if you help make a plan for end-of-life care that includes hospice care. "

Many doctors are reluctant to discuss prognosis (expected life span). Sometimes it helps to ask the question, "Would you be surprised if my loved one died within the next six months to a year?" If the answer is no, it is time to call Valley Hospice.

Advance Care Planning

Advanced Care Planning means many things:

• Looking at your values and how you define quality of life
• Finding out the decisions that will need to be made about your care
• Letting your doctor know the care you want and don't want
• Writing down your wishes for care in a living will
• Choosing someone to serve as your medical power of attorney to help your doctor carry out your living will if you are unable to communicate your wishes

Taking the time to talk about your wishes and write them down spares your loved ones and your doctors the difficulty of having to guess about life-and-death decisions for You. If your family knows your wishes in advance, they can confidently tell the doctor what you told them you would want.

Advanced Directives

After you have discussed your end of life care wishes with your family and doctor, you can maximize your chances of receiving the care you want by filling out advanced directives: a living will and/or medical power of attorney.

A Living Will is a document that spells out what you want and do not want in terms of end of life care only if you cannot speak for yourself (your doctor must say that you are in a persistent comatose state.) Your wishes for organ donation can also be included.

Medical Power of Attorney is a document in which you state that you have chosen someone to speak for you only if you cannot speak for yourself. Select someone who would normally be easy to contact and who has the emotional strength to do the job. Make sure they know you have selected them and that they know your wishes.

For infomation that can help you make decisions about CPR, artificial nutrition,hydration (feeding tube), or going on a ventilator (breathing machine), or for more information about Advanced Directives, contact us toll free: 1.877.284.4441.
You may also wish to request a copy of the booklet "Hard Choices for Loving People" by Hank Dunn.