During an emergency or final stage of life, your senior may be unable to communicate their medical or care preferences. In such instances, having a clear, documented advanced care plan ensures their medical requests are honored.

Unfortunately, fewer than half of older adults have an advanced care plan.

Without an advanced care plan or advanced directive, state laws may determine who will make medical decisions on their behalf and cause unwanted guilt and stress. By addressing these concerns ahead of time, advanced care planning can provide peace of mind for your family and help ensure your loved one's wishes are respected when it matters most.

What Is Included in an Advanced Directive?

Making an advanced care plan involves documents that outline future decisions about your loved one’s medical care. The plan clearly identifies who will make health-related decisions and includes your senior’s preferred treatment.

The most common advanced directives are a living will and durable power of attorney for health care.

A living will is a legal document that details how your loved one would like to receive health care if they cannot make decisions on their own. It lists which common medical treatments they approve and reject and the circumstances under which each choice applies.

Understanding the following directives is crucial in ensuring your loved one's healthcare preferences are clearly communicated and respected:

• Do Not Resuscitate
  DNR means the senior does not wish to have CPR or other live-support measures attempted if their heartbeat and breathing stop.
  
  
• Out of Hospital DNR
  Alerts emergency medical staff not to take measures to restore heartbeat or breathing when outside the hospital.
  
  
• Do Not Intubate (DNI)
  DNI documentation lets medical staff know your loved one does not want to be placed on a ventilator to assist with breathing.
  
  
• Do Not Hospitalize
  DNH indicates your loved one does not want to go to the hospital for end-of-life treatment.
  
  
• Physician Orders or Medical Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment
  POLST and MOLST forms serve as an additional medical order in addition to the living will, most often when your loved one is critically ill or near the end of life.

A durable power of attorney for healthcare is a legal document that identifies your senior’s healthcare proxy—the person who will make healthcare decisions if they can't. The proxy should be familiar with your loved one’s wishes.

In most states, a healthcare proxy must be 18 or older and of sound mind. The proxy can be a family member, friend, or attorney. When your loved one has chosen a proxy, you can download a free form based on the state where they live. Make sure the proxy has copies of any advanced directive documents and contact information for your senior’s health care providers and that those providers have the name and contact information for your senior’s proxy.

How to Start Advanced Care Planning?

Advanced planning all starts with a conversation. Talk with your loved one to learn how you can honor their wishes. You may find they have very different ideas than you do about how they want their end-of-life care handled.

Begin these conversations sooner rather than later, especially if your loved one has a serious illness or is at risk for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Discuss their care preferences as soon as possible before their condition progresses and makes communication more difficult.

Once you’ve talked with your senior and their doctor, complete the necessary forms and share them with health care providers and loved ones. Have these discussions at least once a year or as their health changes to keep your loved one's advanced care plan up to date.

Visiting Angels Can Provide Emotional Support

Though we are not certified to help complete advanced directive forms, we can offer compassionate support for seniors during these challenging and sometimes uncomfortable interactions. Our caregivers are trained to provide a comforting presence, helping to ease the stress and anxiety seniors may face.

By fostering an environment of trust and understanding, we can assist your loved one in expressing their wishes and concerns, empowering them to make informed decisions about their future care and enhancing their peace of mind.

Contact your local home care office to learn how we can help.