Susanne Seiler Presenting Advanced Directives Susanne Seiler Presenting

Welcome To Our Advanced Directives Webinar Welcome ladies and gentleman and thank you for taking the time to join me today in discussing a very important issue facing a growing number of patients, the issue of advanced directives and the difficult issue of who to trust with your healthcare.

Need For Communication With Your Doctor While it is never an easy subject to discuss, in the even you should become unconscious or otherwise incapable to verbally express your desire regarding treatment, you deserve to have the peace of mind knowing that doctors will give you treatment in accordance with your wishes and that any decisions made on your behalf will be made in the same fashion. However in order for this to happen clear communication before such events occur is critical. It is for this reason advanced directives are an essential component in this communication

What Are Advanced Directives? Advanced directives are written legal documents which act as instructions to your provider regarding your preference of medical care should you become unable to express these preferences yourself. Advanced directives allow for you the patient to maintain complete autonomy over your body and the treatment you receive even after you become incapacitated.

Types of Advanced Directives The two major types of advanced directives are: ● Living Will ● Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare

Living Will A Living Will is the oldest type of health care advance directive. It is a signed, witnessed (or notarized) document called a “declaration” or “directive.” Most declarations instruct an attending physician to withhold or withdraw medical interventions from its signer if he/she is in a terminal condition and is unable to make decisions about medical treatment. This also relieves bereaved family members from the immense burden of having to make painful decisions and guesses as to what their loved one would want for themselves adding more stress to an already unfortunate situation.

Living Will Cont: A living will tells which treatment you want if your life is threatened, including: Dialysis and breathing machines Resuscitation if you stop breathing or if your heart stops Tube feeding Organ or tissue donation after you die

Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a signed, witnessed (or notarized) document in which the signer designates an agent to make health care decisions if the signer is temporarily or permanently unable to make such decisions.. An agent must be chosen with great care since the agent will have great power and authority to make decisions about whether health care will be provided, withheld or withdrawn from the patient It is extremely important that the patients carefully discuss his/her values, wishes and instructions with the agent before and at the time the document is signed. It is also important that the agent be willing to exercise his/her power and authority to make certain that the signer’s values, wishes and instructions are respected.

What Do I Do With Advanced Directives Keep the original copies of your advance directives where you can easily find them. Give a copy to your health care proxy, health care providers, hospital, nursing home, family, and friends. Carry a card in your wallet that says you have an advance directive. Review your advance directives each year.

In Conclusion While no one likes the think about end-of-life decisions or about being in a tragic medical situation which leave them unable to communicate, it is imperative that you have the conversation with your doctor as well as those closest to you about what you want done on your behalf and who you trust most to make such choices. By initiating advanced directives before such events occur you ensure that providers have a clear map of how to provide your medical treatment, and your loved ones will be spared from devastating guessing and potential guilt trying to figure out your wishes

Thank You

Works Cited http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/advance-directives- definitions/ http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3285