Advance Care Planning… Ensuring Your Wishes Are Known and HonoredIf You Are Unable to Speak for Yourself
Did You Know…
- Nearly 80% of people say they would prefer to die at home
- About 80% of people say they don’t want their life extended by machines
- 82% of people say it’s important to put their wishes in writing and there is a big gap between what people say they want and what actually happens
- 70% of Americans (more than 1.7 million) die of a chronic disease
Facts
- Almost 75% of people don’t die at home
- People without advance care planning are moved an average of 3 times in the last few weeks of life
- Having an Advance Directive is associated with decreased likelihood of dying in a hospital
- The use of mechanical ventilation in the 90 days prior to death has increased in the last 15 years
Senior Care Professionals surveyed say 70% of family conversations about aging are prompted by an event such as a health crisis
Most Americans (71%) believe it is more important to enhance quality of life even if it means a shorter life
Less than one third of American Adults have advance directives expressing their wishes
Lack of awareness is the number one barrier to not having an advance care directive
65-76% of doctors whose patients had an advance care directive were not aware it existed
66% of family disputes about aging or end-of-life issues that end up in court could have been avoided with advance care planning
About 62 percent of all deaths each year are due to 5 chronic diseases
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Chronic Obstructive
- Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Diabetes
Did You Know…
An Advance Care Plan can be used at any stage of life and should be updated as circumstances change.
Life changes may include the 5 D’s
Decade– when you start each new Decade in your life
Death– whenever you experience a Death of a loved one
Divorce– when you experience a Divorce or major family change
Diagnosis– when you are Diagnosed with a serious health condition
Decline– when you experience a significant Decline of existing health condition, especially when you are unable to live on your own
Goals for Advance Care Planning
Establish a Healthcare Agent, which is a legal activity
Express your values, treatment goals and wishes, which is a communication task
Advance Care Directives can only work if…
Individual understands the document
Surrogate understands the individual’s wishes
Physician is aware of the document’s existence
Physician complies with the Surrogate’s instructions
Document is revised as an individual’s condition / goals changes
Download and Print the Honoring Choices Document
To help you complete this Health Care Directive form, please give special attention to the following:
Please enter the date where indicated throughout this Health Care Directive.
On page 4, “Making This Document Legal”, please note under Minnesota law, 2 witnesses or a notary public must verify your signature and the date. Your witnesses or notary public cannot be names as your primary or alternate Health Care Agent.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact
Essentia Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center: Peggy Holtz, Chaplaincy Services, Peggy.Holtz@EssentiaHealth.org or 218-828-7530.
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center: Debra Bergsnev and Mary Novotny Honoring Choices Facilitators, deb.bergsnev@cuyunamed.org or mary.novotny@cuyunamed.org or 218-546-7000 ext. 4222.
St. Croix Hospice: Nita Loken jloken@stcroixhospice.com or 218-866-2743
Heartland Hospice: Ryan Sjoblad Ryan.Sjoblad@HRC-Manorcare.com or 218-537-6180.