“The two big unfixables are aging and dying. You can’t fix those.” In Atul Gwande’s video, “Being Mortal,” he discusses how difficult getting older and death are for patients, loved ones, heath practitioners, and others involved in the healthcare process. Death is simply one of those topics that we just don’t like to think about or talk about. But aging and dying don’t just go away. As Gwande puts it, they are “unfixable.”
So what can we do to prepare for the end of our lives?
None of us truly know how or when our time will be done, so it is important to get your affairs in order no matter what stage of your life you are at. The majority of Americans would say that the best way to die would be a peaceful death at home surrounded by family, but an overwhelming majority of people reach the end of their life in some sort of healthcare facility. To ensure that your wishes are carried out, you can put together a legal document that outlines your preferences.
Advance care directives, health care directives, and living wills all have the same goal – to identify your wishes regarding medical care following a medical emergency that leaves you unable to make your own decisions.
In the directive, patients are able to appoint someone to make decisions on their behalf, as well as express their wishes based on their own values and goals. By having these legal documents drafted based on personal wishes and preferences, the family and healthcare practitioner no longer have to make difficult decisions about how to care for a patient in an already stressful situation.
If you’d like to learn more about Advance Care Planning, you can join Perham Area Community Education for an Advanced Care Planning Course on Tuesday, April 25th from 6-8pm. Jennifer Howey, Director of Social Services at Perham Health, and Erin Schultz, Social Worker at Perham Health, along with Hospice of the Red River Valley will share valuable information about Healthcare Directives during the course.
The seminar is free, but registration is encouraged. Interested persons can contact Community Education at 218.346.4503 to register.
Perham Health Social Services is also available to facilitate your advance care planning meeting if you are unable to make the course. Simply call 218.347.1655 to schedule an appointment.
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