Aging in Place 3rd edition

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Advance Directives In the event that you are no longer able to make decisions about your health care it is important to have plans in place to ensure that your wishes are considered. If you are just getting started with advance directives, or have questions about how they work, the following resources may be helpful to you: https://www.nhdd.org/public-resources and https://dementia-directive.org/ Listed below are types of advance directives (a legal document by which a person makes provision for health care decisions in the event that he/she becomes unable to make those decisions for themself.) While it very important to create these documents, it is equally critical to share them with family and trusted advocates and make sure they are accessible when the need arises, otherwise your wishes may not be honored. Check all the advance directive documents that you have in place and have made accessible to the appropriate person(s):  Advance Directive ( A written statement detailing your desires regarding medical treatment if you are no longer able to express informed consent .)  Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care ( A document that lets you name someone else to make decisions about your health care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. It gives that person, called an agent, instructions about the kinds of medical treatment you want. ) * may be combined with Advance Directive  Do Not Resuscitate Order ( A DNR is a request not to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops or if you stop breathing. ) Important: Be sure that you have a durable DNR so that it is transferable across institutions.

Did You Know?

O F PEOPLE SAY IT ’ S IMPORTANT TO PUT THEIR WISHES IN WRITING

82%

H AVE DONE IT . yet only...

23%

Aging in Place: Your Home, Your Community, Your Choice

Health & Wellness 31