An advance directive is a legal document. It typically has two components. The first names the person who is to make medical decisions should your relative be unable to do so. The second gives guidance about a person’s wishes for care in the face of serious illness or at the end of life.
If your loved one has completed an advance directive, congratulations! But it’s of no use if you need it on a weekend and it’s locked away in a safe deposit box. Or at the lawyer’s office. You want the paperwork to be accessible 24/7. And ideally you want it available wherever your loved one happens to be.
Don’t hide this important document!
- Distribute many copies. Give a copy to whoever is named as health care decision maker and to any backup decision makers. In addition, your relative’s primary care doctor should have a copy. So should involved specialists and the local hospital. Consider all other involved family members. Also, any home care agency providing services.
- Store the original. Put the original, signed document in an easy-to-find place at your relative’s home. For example, create and label a “Medical Emergencies” file. Put it in the top desk drawer or at the front of the file cabinet.
- Consider using a national service. They charge a fee. But documents are available anytime from nearly anywhere. Plus the centralized location simplifies the distribution of updates. The U.S. Advance Care Plan Registry, for instance, is a secure, online service. It also allows for access by verified medical personnel. MedicAlert is similar. It provides a bracelet with an ID number. Verified medical settings can contact the company to access the member’s medical information.
After putting so much time and thought into end-of-life preferences, let your relative’s advance directive serve its purpose. Make sure it’s easily available at the time of need.
Do you have questions about advance directives or end-of-life planning?
As the Roanoke and Lynchburg experts in family caregiving, we at Gentle Shepherd Hospice have extensive experience helping older adults and their families prepare for all kinds of scenarios, including medical emergencies. Give us a call at 1-800-789-0586 (toll-free) to learn more about the many ways we can support you.