National Healthcare Decisions Day
April 16, 2020 National Healthcare Decisions Day
National Healthcare Decisions Day educates the public to take part in important advance care planning. The observance emphasizes the importance of advance directives which empower the public and healthcare providers to make informed healthcare decisions beforehand. While advance care planning seems like a difficult discussion, the alternative leaves family members struggling to make the decision for you.
An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves because of illness or incapacity.
In the absence of an advanced directive, medical personnel rely on family members to determine what a patient’s wishes might be. Completing an advanced directive removes that burden from your loved ones.
Plan ahead for your important healthcare decisions. Find the documents you need, complete them, and put them where they are easily accessible. Let your loved ones know where your documents are and encourage other family members to complete an advance directive, too.
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