Take Control Of Your Health Care Decisions
Author: Nanette Whitman-Holmes, Hospice Care Consultant, Compassus Hospice
Take Control of Your Health Care Decisions
Nanette Whitman-Holmes
Hospice Care Consultant, Compassus Hospice
As we begin a new year, many of us embrace January as a time for fresh starts and meaningful resolutions.
However, there’s one resolution that’s often overlooked but incredibly valuable, developing or updating your advance directives. As a hospice professional, I’ve seen firsthand how this important step can provide peace of mind for individuals and their families.
Advance directives, including living wills and health care proxies, ensure that your wishes are respected should you face serious illness or injury. They allow you to communicate your preferences for medical treatment, sparing your loved ones from the burden of making difficult decisions on your behalf without guidance. In my experience, families experience far less stress and uncertainty when they have clear instructions to follow.
January, with its quiet pace and sense of new beginnings, is an ideal time to reflect on your values and discuss them with loved ones. Establishing your advance directives now can be a compassionate gift to yourself and those closest to you.
While these conversations can feel challenging, the comfort they bring is well worth it.
I urge everyone to consider this January as the perfect opportunity to take control of your healthcare decisions and ensure your voice is heard.
