Organ Donation One end-of-life decision you might want to consider is if you wish to donate your organs after you die. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services/Health Resources & Services Administration has a detailed list of what organs and tissues can be donated. If you do, make it part of the process when […]
Funeral and Memorial Planning Wakes and Funerals Funeral homes are a business and strive to make a profit. At this time your family is vulnerable and may feel compelled to include expensive options for your wake that only benefit the funeral home. You may be able to help them avoid this by making decisions ahead […]
Advance Directives After you have had the “Conversation,” you should immediately proceed with creating a plan and documenting it in the form of an advance directive (AD). An AD is a legal document that answers the “what if” questions and is meant to guide family and healthcare professionals to provide the care you would or […]
Healthcare Proxy Your Healthcare Proxy, also known as Healthcare Power of Attorney, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, or Medical Power of Attorney, is a person you designate to make medical care decisions on your behalf. They may also be your Financial Power of Attorney. Laws about healthcare proxies are contained in the 1993 Health-Care […]
Respecting Your Wishes While the choices you make should reflect your wishes, remember that you are not the only person they will affect. It is important that any person approaching the end of their life make their wishes known to avoid unwanted, unnecessary, uncomfortable, and expensive medical care, including unwarranted resuscitation. However, you must consider […]
Talking About Death and Dying Family and Friends Healthcare Professionals Healthcare providers will be the most likely ones to ‘break the news’ about your condition and in some cases provide some idea of how much time you may have left. That should include a preliminary discussion about end-of-life care, but it does not always happen. […]
