Which of the following statements is accurate concerning advance healthcare directives
end of life Show
Making your end-of-life choices in an advance health care directive can improve your care in the future and ease the burden on your family. Here’s what you need to know.What is an advance health care directive (AHCD)?An advance health care directive or AHCD (otherwise known as a living will, personal directive, or medical directive) is a document that instructs others about your medical care should you be unable to make decisions on your own. It only becomes effective under the circumstances delineated in the document, and allows you to do either or both of the following: Appoint a health care agent. The advance directive allows you to appoint a health care agent (also known as “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care,” “Health Care Proxy,” or “attorney-in-fact”), who will have the legal authority to make health care decisions for you if you are no longer able to speak for yourself. This is typically a spouse, but can be another family member, close friend, or anyone else you feel will ensure that your wishes and expectations are met. The individual named will have authority to make decisions regarding artificial nutrition and hydration and any other measures that prolong life—or not. Prepare instructions for health care. The advance directive allows you to make specific written instructions for your future health care in the event of any situation in which you can no longer speak for yourself. It outlines your wishes about life-sustaining medical treatment if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious, for example. Although death is an inevitable part of life, many of us are reluctant to face the fact that we’re not going to live forever and plan for our end-of-life care. The advance health care directive provides a clear statement of your wishes about prolonging your life or withholding or withdrawing treatment. You can also choose to request relief from pain even if doing so hastens death. A standard advance directive form provides room to state additional wishes and directions, and allows you to leave instructions about organ donations and disposition of remains (burial or cremation). Discussing your wishes with loved ones and preparing an AHCD offers the best assurance that decisions regarding your future medical care will reflect your own values and desires.
Why is an advance directive important?While most people would prefer to die in their own homes, the norm is still for terminally-ill patients to die in the hospital, often receiving ineffective treatments that they may not really want. Friends and family members often become embroiled in bitter arguments about the best way to care for the patient and consequently miss sharing the final stage of life with their loved one. And the opinions and wishes of the dying person are lost in all the chaos. [Read: Late Stage and End-of-Life Care] It’s almost impossible to know what a dying person’s wishes truly are unless they've been discussed ahead of time. Planning ahead with an advance directive can give your principal caregiver, family members, and other loved ones peace of mind when it comes to making decisions about your future health care. It lets everyone know what is important to you, and what is not. Talking about death with those close to you is not about being ghoulish or giving up on life, but a way to ensure greater quality of life, even when faced with a life-limiting illness or tragic accident. When your loved ones are clear about your preferences for treatment, they’re free to devote their energy to care and compassion. End-of-life issues in an advance directiveSpecific issues related to the end of your life can include:
Creating an advance health care directiveAdvance health care directives and living wills are not complicated, but the content can be complex and should be thought through very carefully. It can be short, simple statements about what you want done or not done if you can't speak for yourself. It’s important to discuss your wishes with family members as well as legal, health, or other appropriate professionals when preparing such a document. It is particularly important to talk about your wishes with everyone who might be involved in your care. In times of stress, others may confuse their own wishes with yours. In the U.S., most state governments have designed forms for people to complete on their own by filling in the blanks. While these are not usually mandatory, most states do require witnessing or other specific signing formalities. Anything you write by yourself or with a computer software package should follow your state laws. So, it’s essential for you to know what the specific laws are in your state or country. While you are not required to seek legal advice to prepare an advance health care directive in the U.S., it may be a good idea to do so to ensure that the actual instructions for your wishes are stated clearly and accurately. Speak with your physicianIt is important that you discuss your health care desires with your physician. They are likely to be the one caring for you when your instructions become relevant and are much more likely to honor requests that have been communicated directly. Your physician can:
Speak with your familyDespite your best efforts to plan for all eventualities in a health care declaration, actual events may not “fit” your directives. It is therefore important that you discuss your desires with family and friends.
Talking to your loved ones about end-of-life choicesTo ensure that your future care wishes are understood and respected by all those who are important to you, it’s imperative that you sit down and talk to your family and loved ones about your end-of-life choices. For many of us, the prospect of such a conversation can seem like a daunting task. You or your loved ones may be uncomfortable talking about serious illness or death, or it may seem “too soon” to have a conversation about end-of-life preparations. However, it’s better to have the conversation when you and your loved ones are in a calm and relaxed state, rather than in the midst of a medical emergency when everyone’s stressed and it’s difficult to think clearly. While you may think that your loved ones already know what you want, the truth is there is often a startling difference between what people say they want and what their family members think they want. The only way to be certain that your loved ones understand your wishes is to sit down and have the conversation. Choose a time and place where you and your loved ones feel comfortable and at ease, such as after a family dinner, on a walk, or sitting outside in the sun. Not everything has to be discussed at once. The conversation can be spread out over different times. Be patient with your loved ones. Fear and denial are common. Some people need longer to become comfortable talking about dying, others may have different feelings about what end-of-life plans should involve. Don’t feel like you can never change your mind. Your opinions and wishes can change over time and Advance Health Care Directives can be revised. How to get startedYou can get started by sending your loved ones a copy of this article with a note saying, “I’d like to talk about this.” Other ways you could break the ice:
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Get professional online counseling for relationship or marital issues. It’s confidential and convenient to get started. What to do once your advance health care directive is completeOnce you have completed your advance directive, it may be necessary to have it notarized depending on who witnesses your signature—follow the instructions on the document in accordance with your state laws. Providing many trusted individuals with copies of your advance directive will insure that your health care wishes are met in the event that you cannot express your wishes for yourself. Keep the original copy of the advance directive yourself in a place that can easily be found, and give copies to:
A copy can also be sent to your attorney or kept in a safety deposit box or anywhere else you keep copies of a will or other important papers. Be sure that you have discussed the directive with the person you designate as your health care agent and that they understand your wishes and the responsibilities involved and will agree to honor those wishes. How to Stay Grounded in Troubled TimesDiscover and access tools for in-the-moment relief from anxiety and panic when you enroll in Karla McLaren's all new Transformation Lab from Sounds True – How to Stay Grounded in Troubled Times. LEARN MORE What happens if I change my mind?It’s best to think of Advance Health Care Directives as a work in progress. Circumstances can change, as can your values and opinions about how you would best like your future health care needs to be met. Directives can be revoked or replaced at any time as long as you are capable of making your own decisions. It is recommended that you review your documents every few years or after important life changes and revise your directives to ensure that they continue to accurately reflect your situation and wishes. When to reassess your advance directiveRe-examine your health care wishes every few years or whenever any of the “Five D’s” occur:
Choices about end of life are important for all adults—not just for the older population. Not only does an advance health care directive let your voice be heard about what you want, but it also relieves others of making these decisions for you. Changing your advance directiveIf your current advance health care directive no longer reflects your wishes for end-of-life care, refer to your state’s (or country's) laws for the correct way to cancel or amend the directive. Once you have revised the directive, it is important to discuss the changes with your physician and family members, and notify everyone who has copies of your old directive. Authors: Lawrence Robinson, Monika White, Ph.D., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. Reviewed by: Lisa C. Alexander, attorney, certified by the State Bar of California as a legal specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. She is a partner of the law firm of Jakle & Alexander, LLP. Last updated: November 1, 2022 When caring for terminally ill patients you should?The following are 4 ways in which a clinician can be helpful to a patient who is terminally ill:. Aid the psychological and spiritual coping process. ... . Assess and treat psychiatric illness. ... . Maximize comfort. ... . Treat the treaters and family members.. Which of the following would not be considered physical abuse?Which of the following is not considered physical abuse? Withholding medications or refusing to provide necessary medical care is not considered physical abuse.
When working with or near Radiation What is correct?You can work safely around radiation and/or contamination by following a few simple precautions: Use time, distance, shielding, and containment to reduce exposure. Wear dosimeters (e.g., film or TLD badges) if issued. Avoid contact with the contamination.
Can a belt restraint restrict breathing?A belt restraint placed over the patient's chest may restrict breathing. Which of the following is true about opioid use? B. Patients may develop a tolerance for opioids over time and may need higher dosages for pain relief.
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