November, 2017 is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. “It’s About How you Live” is a theme used to describe the care provided by trained professionals. Hospice care and palliative care are different and each provide care and comfort for patients.
These terms are often used interchangeably, yet they have distinct differences. Palliative care is often called supportive care. It can begin at the time of a diagnosis and can help get pain under control during medical treatment. Hospice care begins when treatment stops and when it is determined that a patient will not survive the illness. The goal of each is to enhance the quality of life in body, mind and spirit.
Frequently, people ask, “Can I change my mind?” The answer is yes! Your health = your choice. How you want to live is up to you. Throughout life, our decisions are impacted by a number of variables.
Thinking through this topic before needed gives you an opportunity to assess how you feel about options. Having conversations with those you love provides an opportunity to think through the impact of your decisions and provide clear direction about what you want and why you want it. Should you not be able to speak for yourself, having completed the necessary documents provides emergency teams with valuable information.
When you are clear, document your decisions in an Advance Directive, a living will, and name a health care Power of Attorney (to speak for you if you are unable). These legal documents are all ways to document your decisions. You are able to change our mind and document changes until you no longer have the mental capacity to be able to execute a legal document.
Sometimes it is helpful to hear about a topic from an expert to help with decision making. I was struck by one particular talk by an expert. Dr. BJ Miller is a Palliative Care physician in San Francisco. If you’ve not seen his TedTalk, “What Really Matters at the End of Life”, it is 19 minutes well spent. Dr. BJ Miller
Resources exist locally, regionally and nationally. The NHPCO provides resources to help explain care options. They have a “what are my options” interactive tool available to the public. Click on this link to learn more: What Are My Options? The Get Palliative Care site is another resource with information about palliative care for all ages. Get Palliative Care
Knowing there are resources available to help you, your family, your loved ones can be a godsend. If/When you’re ready for an outside eye to work on contingency plans for work and home, contact us.
We proactively help you assess your situation in business and home and explore ways for you to protect what is important to you by asking questions. What is your risk? Your plan? Are you ready to be ready? Proactive preparation is our forte.
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