Advance care planning recommended during holidays

The holiday season offers opportunities for gathering, reflection and connection with loved ones. During this time of gratitude and giving, ThedaCare specialists say it is also a good occasion to make your health care wishes known to trusted family members and friends. “Having a conversation in advance means that in the event of a health crisis or accident, your loved ones can be confident in their role to advocate for you, knowing the care you want,” said Jenny Sanderfoot, ThedaCare advance care planning (ACP) specialist. “That can be a gift for someone and their family.” Statistics show about one-third of Wisconsinites have completed a Power of Attorney for Health Care (POA-HC) form. This gives a designated loved one the legal authority to ensure that medical wishes are known when someone is unable to speak for themselves. A POA-HC also gives the chance to express preferences about life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation and comfort care. Not having this document leaves many families in a position where they must make difficult decisions without understanding their loved one’s wishes. “Research has shown that when people have engaged in ACP, their loved ones have clearer insight into their wishes, and less stress and worry,” said Sanderfoot. “They can then focus on being there in your time of need, instead of working with an attorney and going through the court system to ask to be appointed as your legal guardian.” Wisconsin is not a next-of-kin state. That means friends and family (including spouses) cannot automatically make certain health care decisions in the event that someone become seriously ill or incapacitated. “Advance care planning is a process where you can clearly explain what you want or don’t want and designate someone to speak for you when you can’t through the Power of Attorney for Health Care form,” Sanderfoot said. “It’s a lifelong process that should start when you turn 18. We continue these conversations and update our documents as we age and life changes.” The holidays often offer ideal face-to-face opportunities to have the conversation with loved ones. Holidays also tend to inspire reflection on family traditions, values and life experiences. This introspection can naturally lead to conversations about health care wishes, Sanderfoot noted. “While it may feel uncomfortable at first, it’s an act of kindness to your loved ones,” she said. “It can provide clarity, shared understanding and peace of mind.” Sanderfoot suggests some thoughtful ways to start the conversation without disrupting the spirit of the holidays. Those recommendations include: • Use personal stories. Share a story about someone you know who went through a medical emergency without a plan. Or mention a celebrity who made headlines for not having an advance directive in place. This can serve as a natural segue into a discussion about the importance of making wishes known. • Bring up family traditions. During discussions about family values and traditions, you can gently transition into a conversation about the values that guide your health care decisions and encourage others to share theirs. • Make it a casual conversation. If your family has a quiet moment over dinner or dessert, bring up the topic in a relaxed setting. You might say, “My doctor told me that it’s important to have an advance directive completed, so I’ve been thinking about making sure my health care wishes are clear. I want to talk with you all about it.” • Frame it as a positive. Emphasize that by completing ACP documents, you are giving your family the gift of clarity and peace. Explain that you want to make sure they are unburdened with difficult decisions in the future. • Incorporate it into New Year’s resolutions. As the new year approaches, many people talk about resolutions and goals. Suggest completing a POA-HC form as a New Year’s goal for everyone in the family. In Wisconsin, completing a POA-HC form is a straightforward process. The form allows people to name a health care agent — someone they trust to make medical decisions if they are unable to do so. The advance directive form is free to download. It does not require an attorney to complete, but two non-family member witnesses will be needed to sign the document.