There¿s only one person who is truly qualified to tell health care providers how you feel about different kinds of health care issues ¿ and that¿s you. But, what if you get sick, or injured so severely that you can¿t communicate with your doctors or family members? Many people assume that close family members automatically know what they want. But studies have shown that spouses guess wrong over half the time about what kinds of treatment their husbands or wives would want. This workbook has two parts: Part 1: The Basics. Introduces and discusses all of the components of advance care planning. Part 2: Resources. Contains additional help and further explanation of topics. Extremely controversial when published by the VA. Illustrations.
For patients and their loved ones, no care decisions are more profound than those made near the end of life. Unfortunately, the experience of dying in the United States is often characterized by fragmented care, inadequate treatment of distressing symptoms, frequent transitions among care settings, and enormous care responsibilities for families. According to this report, the current health care system of rendering more intensive services than are necessary and desired by patients, and the lack of coordination among programs increases risks to patients and creates avoidable burdens on them and their families. Dying in America is a study of the current state of health care for persons of all ages who are nearing the end of life. Death is not a strictly medical event. Ideally, health care for those nearing the end of life harmonizes with social, psychological, and spiritual support. All people with advanced illnesses who may be approaching the end of life are entitled to access to high-quality, compassionate, evidence-based care, consistent with their wishes. Dying in America evaluates strategies to integrate care into a person- and family-centered, team-based framework, and makes recommendations to create a system that coordinates care and supports and respects the choices of patients and their families. The findings and recommendations of this report will address the needs of patients and their families and assist policy makers, clinicians and their educational and credentialing bodies, leaders of health care delivery and financing organizations, researchers, public and private funders, religious and community leaders, advocates of better care, journalists, and the public to provide the best care possible for people nearing the end of life.
This workbook provides detailed advice about preparing living wills and advance directives, with information about potential illnesses and medical events such as terminal illness, advanced cancer, coma, stroke, and dementia. The introduction of this document states: There's only one person who is truly qualified to tell health care providers how you feel about different kinds of health care issues and that's you. But, what if you get sick, or injured so severely that you can t communicate with your doctors or family members? Have you thought about what kinds of medical care you would want? Do your loved ones and health care providers know your wishes? Many people assume that close family members automatically know what they want. But studies have shown that spouses guess wrong over half the time about what kinds of treatment their husbands or wives would want. You can help assure that your wishes will direct future health care decisions through the process of advance care planning. The workbook has two parts: Part I: The Basics. This section introduces and discusses all of the important components of advance care planning. You may find it provides enough information for you to figure out what you want and express your wishes to others. Part II: Resources. Turn to these sections for additional help and further explanation of ideas and topics introduced in The Basics. Two ways to use this book. Spend an hour working through The Basics. Then communicate. OR Work through The Basics. Take another hour or two to work through all or part of Resources for a more complete approach. Then communicate. TABLE OF CONTENTS - Why do you need to think now about future health care decisions? Do you have strongly-held beliefs that should guide your care? If you couldn't speak for yourself, what would you want done for you? Who will speak for me if I can t speak for myself? Common questions about choosing a spokesperson What else can I do to make my wishes known? Common questions about advance directives What situations and decisions do people commonly face? Dementia * Coma * Stroke * Terminal illness * Telling others what you want * Writing it down * What s next? Thought-provoking exercises - Your Beliefs and Values * Who should speak for me? * What makes your life worth living? * Personal and spiritual beliefs * Hope for recovery * Weighing pros and cons of treatment for different chances of recovery * Choices about death and dying * How would you like to spend your last days? * Organ donation and autopsy * Burial arrangements * Funeral or memorial services Health conditions and treatments Kidney dialysis * CPR-Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation * Feeding tubes * Mechanical ventilators (breathing machines) * Hospice and palliative care * Your health care preferences * Introduction - Care preferences under different health conditions * Current health * Permanent coma * Severe dementia * Severe stroke * Terminal illness * A future situation of concern * How to talk about your wishes * Starting the discussion * Asking someone to be your spokesperson * Who else should you talk to? * What if you don't have close family or friends? * Nine important issues to discuss * Talking to your health care providers * Reviewing you wishes * Other issues * Legal and ethical issues of advance care planning This is a privately authored news service and educational publication of Progressive Management. For over a quarter of a century, our news, educational, technical, scientific, and medical publications have made unique and valuable references accessible to all people. Our e-books put knowledge at your fingertips, and an expert in your pocket!
Making healthcare decisions is hard, but making the right choices has never mattered more. Healthcare Choices: 5 Steps to Getting the Care You Want and Needgives you the tools you need to choose the best medical care—for you. Archelle Georgiou, MD, explainsher CARES model, the formula she developed to help family, friends, and thousands of television viewers make smart healthcare decisions that balance the best medical options with individual preferences. Using more than 30 real-life stories and insider tips, she demonstrates how to use this step-by-step guide to access the medical information you need to evaluate your options and make well-informed choices. Whether you are addressing a life-threatening illness, self-managing a minor ailment, selecting a doctor, or buying insurance, Georgiou’s roadmap shows you how to be an active participant in your care. Her “go to” approach describes how to: Identify all treatment options for an illness, including those not mentioned by your doctor. Make treatment decisions that reflect your priorities and preferences. Find the best doctor to treat your condition. Communicate with your doctor and make shared treatment decisions. Choose the health insurance plan that’s right for you. Maintain a voice in your lifestyle as you age. Healthcare Choiceswill give you the confidence to advocate for the healthcare you want, need, and deserve.
ACP is an essential part of end of life care with patients improving their chances of 'a good death' by creating plans with their families and carers. This new edition gives a comprehensive overview of ACP, explores a wide range of issues and practicalities in providing end of life care, and offers a worldwide perspective.
It won't happen to me. I'm too busy to worry about a living will. My family will know what to do. No one wants to plan for death or incapacitating illness. But, as the emotional legal battle in the Terri Schiavo case made all too clear, people of all ages need to document and communicate clear decisions about the final details of their lives while they are healthy and have time to fully consider their own values and preferences. Here, Drs. David Doukas and William Reichel help individuals make decisions and communicate their wishes to health care providers and family members and other loved ones. Drs. Doukas and Reichel use a question-and-answer format to guide readers through the process—emphasizing the crucial connection between values and treatment preferences. They explain advance directives and the health care decision-making process, including the values history, family covenants, proxies, and proxy negation. The appendix includes resources and Web links for learning about advance directive requirements and obtaining legal forms in all fifty states. This practical guide helps people navigate the important but often intimidating process of thinking about, and planning for, an uncertain future.
The secret of happy and successful people? Their ability to make good decisions. Changing careers, launching a business, starting a family, buying a home, moving to a new city? How do you know whether you’re making the right decision? In The Decision Makeover, Mike Whitaker offers a thoughtful and strategic approach for choosing wisely in all aspects of your life whether it’s about money, career, education, health, friends, or family. With his background in both business and psychology, he lays out a decision-making process that gives you the power to achieve your dreams. He even explains what to do if you’ve made some poor decisions along the way, so that you can move ahead without regret. Whitaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between small and big decisions, and shows why defining your essential goals is the key to overcoming the roadblocks that can derail your progress. He reveals: • why your next decision could change your life forever • why you make bad decisions • how to avoid self-destructive decision-making • how to proceed confidently toward future decisions Filledwith engaging anecdotes and interactive exercises, The Decision Makeover gives you the tools to finally achieve all that you want. For young people just beginning to make important life decisions, or those who have seen it all and are ready for a “reset,” this timeless book is a must-have for anyone wanting to achieve the maximum success possible through purposeful decision making.
This book offers a concise, comprehensive resource for middle-aged readers who are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly relativesan often overwhelming task for which little in life prepares us. Everyone ages, and nearly everyone will also experience having to support aging relatives. Being prepared is the best way to handle this inevitable life stage. This book addresses a breadth of topics that are relevant to aging and caring for the elderly, analyzing each thoroughly and providing up-to-date, practical advice. It can serve as a concise and comprehensive resource read start-to-finish to plan for an individual's own old age or to anticipate the needs of aging relatives, or as a quick-reference guide on specific issues and topics as relevant to each reader's situation and needs. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems that can promote a good quality of life throughout the aging process. Chapters address critical topics such as retirement savings and expenses, residential settings, legal planning, the elderly and driving, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions. The author combines analysis of recent research on the challenges of aging with engaging anecdotes and personal observations. By following the recommendations in this book, readers in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s will greatly benefit from learning about the issues regarding aging in the 21st centuryand from investing some effort in planning for their old age and that of their loved ones.
