If death comes over time, then we have to decide which road to go down. We can take the road where we give our lives over to advance medicine, technology, mounting bills that may lead to bankruptcy, and strangers. Making this decision may force us to submit to treatments that idle our brains and sap our bodies, all for the slightest chance of benefit. With this decision, we can end up spending our last days in nursing homes or intensive care units where treatment regiments cut us off from all the real important things that matter to us. There seems to be a reluctance to examine the experience of aging and dying. When that does not happen, people are denied the basic comforts they most want and need – the choice to die on their own terms. For those who want “everything” done to sustain life – they need to know what everything in medical terms really means: the equipment, tubes, expensive medicines, emotional impact on medical staff, family and friends, and the taxpayer in the form of Medicare and Medicaid costs. Our medical health care
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Saying you would like to die at home is not enough information for planning. A plan takes discussion and preparation. A plan requires answers to questions. Where do you want to live when you are no longer independent? What medical, life-saving interventions do you want? Who will make sure your plan is implemented and serve as your personal advocate? Many assume the natural choice for this job is a spouse or child. In reality, the best person might be someone who has the time, lives close, and can deal with the pressures of rapidly changing health situations.
When possible, a person needs to determine who will give them the final last words, not necessarily a spiritual leader. Once selected, then share the things you are worried about before you let go. Our mother requested that we take care of our older, disabled brother – then she felt okay to let
Saying you would like to die at home is not enough information for planning. A plan takes discussion and preparation. A plan requires answers to questions. Where do you want to live when you are no longer independent? What medical, life-saving interventions do you want? Who will make sure your plan is implemented and serve as your personal advocate? Many assume the natural choice for this job is a spouse or child. In reality, the best person might be someone who has the time, lives close, and can deal with the pressures of rapidly changing health situations.
When possible, a person needs to determine who will give them the final last words, not necessarily a spiritual leader. Once selected, then share the things you are worried about before you let go. Our mother requested that we take care of our older, disabled brother – then she felt okay to let