My Health – My Decision A class to help people who can make decisions be more involved in their healthcare decisions Created by: Anne Bates, Bill Hill, Kathy Lynn & P Sue Kullen

What Do I Need to Know? 1.How to make decisions 2.How to have more power over your health care decisions 3.How to pick people you trust to help you 4.How to plan way ahead

I Can Make Decisions Healthcare is personal, but you may feel you do not always have a say in what it takes to keep you healthy. Healthcare is personal, but you may feel you do not always have a say in what it takes to keep you healthy. You have the power and the right to make choices about everything that affects you. You have the power and the right to make choices about everything that affects you. You must also balance what is good for you with what you may not like. You must also balance what is good for you with what you may not like.

I Do Make Decisions You make lots of decisions every day. What time do I get up? What time do I get up? What do I have for breakfast? What do I have for breakfast? What do I wear today? What do I wear today? What do I watch on TV? What do I watch on TV? You should also be making decisions about your health. When should I go to my doctor? When should I go to my doctor? Should I exercise today? Should I exercise today? How often should I brush my teeth? How often should I brush my teeth? When should I take my medicine? When should I take my medicine? Who can take me to my doctor? Who can take me to my doctor? If you are not making these choices, talk about it with someone you trust or at you next planning meeting.

For Example… Should I go to the dentist every 6 months? Should I go to the dentist every 6 months? What may happen if I do not? What may happen if I do not? What may happen it I do go? What may happen it I do go? What other information do I need? What other information do I need? Who could help me if I am scared? Who could help me if I am scared? Can I just wait? Can I just wait? You may not like salad or vegetables but you eat them because you know they are good for you. You may not like going to the dentist but you know that you should because you want healthy teeth. All adults make these decisions.

Making Choices With all decisions, there are always choices to make. Let’s look at an example of a healthcare decision to find out what the choices are. The next 2 slides will show you a good map to use.

Wait? NO Who can help? What may happen if I do?What may happen if I don’t? BIG DECISION YES

I will have clean healthy teeth I may feel better It may hurt I feel out of control I feel scared It costs money Going every 6 months may keep my teeth from hurting! It will still hurt People will hassle me I may lose my teeth I may have bad breath I may get bigger problems Should I go to the dentist every 6 months? What happens if I wait? NO Who can help? What may happen if I do?What may happen if I don’t? BIG DECISION: Family or Friends My Dentist YES

I Have Power Over My Healthcare Decisions You are an adult and responsible for yourself. You are an adult and responsible for yourself. Just because you may need help to make some decisions does not mean you have less rights than other people. Just because you may need help to make some decisions does not mean you have less rights than other people. So what needs to happen to make sure that you are in charge? So what needs to happen to make sure that you are in charge?

What Needs to Happen? 1. Doctors (& staff) talk to me respectfully 2. Paperwork is explained before I sign 3. People respect my privacy 4. People let me know if something will hurt 5. I am given time... to ask questions...make decisions...talk to other people first 6. More than one choice is explained 7. I help to schedule my doctor visits 8. My comfort is always considered 9. I can choose to make something hard easier... have someone go with me, medicine to help me relax, or try another doctor

Know How to Use Your Power You have the right to ask for all the things you just read. If anything on that list is not happening, talk to someone you trust. You have the right to ask for all the things you just read. If anything on that list is not happening, talk to someone you trust. It’s important to get help when you need it. That’s being responsible. It’s important to get help when you need it. That’s being responsible.

I Can Pick Someone I Trust to Help Me We all need help at times. We all need help at times. Asking other people for help is good so we can get another point of view. Asking other people for help is good so we can get another point of view. And it’s nice to know that people care about us! And it’s nice to know that people care about us!

How Do I Choose Someone? Think about the people you know and trust the most. Think about the people you know and trust the most. Some people you trust with your secrets Some people you trust with your secrets Some people you trust to help or guide you Some people you trust to help or guide you There are even people you may trust to make decisions for you. There are even people you may trust to make decisions for you. Not everyone can make healthcare decisions for you Not everyone can make healthcare decisions for you

Who Can I Choose? When you choose someone to make healthcare decisions for you, they are called your Health Care Agent When you choose someone to make healthcare decisions for you, they are called your Health Care Agent A Health Care Agent can make choices that are too hard for you, or when you are too sick to make them A Health Care Agent can make choices that are too hard for you, or when you are too sick to make them Your Health Care Agent should be: Your Health Care Agent should be: A family member A family member A friend who knows you and can help you to better understand the decision A friend who knows you and can help you to better understand the decision Not paid staff Not paid staff

How Do I Say What I Want? Your Health Care Agent can make the decisions you decide they should make Your Health Care Agent can make the decisions you decide they should make Like if you will have surgery or not Like if you will have surgery or not Or they can make all of your decisions with you Or they can make all of your decisions with you It is your choice and your right It is your choice and your right These tools can help you and your Health Care Agent to decide how they will help you. These tools can help you and your Health Care Agent to decide how they will help you. Five WishesMaryland Health Care Agent Five WishesMaryland Health Care Agent

Write down the name of the person you trust and talk to them about this training.

I Can Plan Ahead for Healthcare Some decisions may be hard to think about… but if you are too sick to say what you want, it may be better to plan than to have people guess what you might want

Some Questions to Think About Who would you like to make decisions if you are too sick to make them? Who would you like to make decisions if you are too sick to make them? Is there a hospital you prefer? Is there a hospital you prefer? Who do you want called if you go to the hospital? Who do you want called if you go to the hospital? Would you want visitors, or would you rather have quiet? Would you want visitors, or would you rather have quiet?

Are there things you would want with you in the hospital…like a special pillow or warm socks? Are there things you would want with you in the hospital…like a special pillow or warm socks? Would you want extra medicine so you do not feel pain, even if it makes you sleep more? Would you want extra medicine so you do not feel pain, even if it makes you sleep more? Would you want to be on a machine to help you breathe if you might not wake up again? Would you want to be on a machine to help you breathe if you might not wake up again? Would you want people to pray for you? Would you want people to pray for you? What do you think about a nursing home? What do you think about a nursing home?

Planning Tools There are tools for you and your Health Care Agent. There are tools for you and your Health Care Agent. The most important thing is to let people know what you want! The most important thing is to let people know what you want!TOOLS: Five Wishes My Wishes Maryland Health Care Agent Forms

Final Thoughts… Share this website with the people you trust to help you... Talk with them about what you’ve learned