National Healthcare Decision Day: The Importance of Having a Plan

Health & Fitness

During COVID-19, we’ve talked about the importance of social distancing, hand washing and wearing a face covering in public. However, there’s another topic that is just as important – advanced healthcare planning. This means the kind of care/intervention you would you want if you were to get sick and who could speak for you if you were unable to speak for yourself.

National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, 2020 and gives us all the opportunity to think about and talk about our plan if we were to have a medical crisis. Discussing and documenting your healthcare wishes before you need them can help decrease your family’s stress during a medical emergency. It can also make sure you receive the type of care you want.

Dr. Eric Bush, Chief Medical Officer for Hospice of the Chesapeake and Chesapeake Supportive Care, talks with Community Education Manager Tammy Turner about why, in these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to have a plan regarding our healthcare decisions.

What's the difference between advanced directives and MOLST? View the flyer >

Here are some practical discussion starters to help normalize the conversation:

  • Although letting your loved one know your preferences for end of life care can be a difficult conversation, it is an important one and is better to have at your kitchen table than in the Intensive Care Unit.
  • Consider the current quality of your life and if an unexpected health event occurred (i.e. Covid-19, heart attack, stroke), what impact would that have on how you would want to live the rest of your life (i.e. artificial nutrition and mechanical ventilation or focus on comfort).
  • Pick someone to make decisions for you (if/when you lose that ability) that would best observe your wishes and focus on what quality of life means to you.
  • Making these decisions today and putting them in writing will not only observe your wishes but also relieve your loved ones of making difficult choices.
  • Reach out to those you trust for advice (family, friends, faith based resources), there are lots of resources out there (see web based below). You are not in this alone!

Online Resources: