It’s Time to Create Your Advance Medical Directive
People often ask when is the right time to organize their estate plan and to paraphrase a common quote, “the best time to do it is yesterday, the second-best time to do it is right now.” An advance medical directive is one key part of your estate plan that protects you in the event that you need advanced medical care.
Here are some insights from our hospice in South Jersey:
What is an Advance Medical Directive?
This is a pretty straightforward legal document that states the kind of care you’d like to receive in the event that you are incapacitated or are otherwise unable to communicate your wishes yourself. Many people have very strong feelings about advance or extreme life-saving medical measures. This document allows a person of your choosing to make sure your wishes are followed.
Benefits for You and Your Loved Ones
By making your wishes clear, you and your loved ones have peace of mind on a very important issue. In a time of crisis, it’s good to have a medical care guide that loved ones can rely on, preventing the stress and anguish that often come from wondering what type of care you would want.
Without it, hospitals are obligated to take all measures possible to keep you alive — something which many people feel, under certain circumstances, reduces quality of life. You can decide exactly what those circumstances are for you and thereby prevent unnecessary pain, unhelpful medical procedures, and unwanted, costly hospitalization.
Creating Your Advance Medical Directive
Although it is a simple document, it is a very important one. Here are three things to consider when creating your own:
- If you are unsure as to the legality of your document, have it created by an elder law attorney.
- Clearly name and detail the person who will act in your interest and include a back-up person to do so in the event your first choice is unable. This is especially important for seniors who name their spouse.
- In addition to specifying medical treatment and the circumstances to which the directive will apply, also remember to specify any end-of-life care wishes, including whether you want to stay at home, in a hospital, or in a hospice. You can also specify your spiritual care needs.
Our Hospice in South Jersey is Dedicated to the Care, Support and Comfort of Your Loved One
At The Shores, a part of the well-known United Methodist Communities non-profit organization in New Jersey, we offer compassionate, professional hospice care in the Jersey Shore are called Bridges. In this program, we focus on creating a nurturing and comforting environment for patients and their loved ones through customized care programs and compassionate support. To find out more about our hospice in Cape May County, please visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/theshores/hospice-care-nj/ or contact us today and organize your visit.
