You are feeling healthy now, but there may come a time when you no longer have your good health, full mental capabilities or perspective. When this time comes, you may not even have the ability to communicate your needs and wants. While you can still speak for yourself, it is the perfect time to sit down and create your advance care plan.
When creating your advance directive, there are a couple different documents to consider:
- A “healthcare power of attorney” details a person you select to be your voice when you are unable to make your own healthcare decisions.
- A “living will” outlines the types of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life.
Remember, the most important part of your advance care plan is to build a conversation with your loved ones — let them know how you feel and how you plan on approaching your end of life care.
In honor of National Healthcare Decisions Day, watch this video about planning for the unthinkable and how to start the conversation.
