Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 16, 2024 is National Healthcare Decisions Day.

This day is an opportunity for each of us as Palliative or Hospice Healthcare  professionals to share our positive influence and demonstrate personal leadership as role models and as advocates for Advance Directives Planning & Documentation. This day is an opportunity to reflect on our personal plans, as well as promote this type of planning to the public. Whether just starting or doing an Annual Review, reflect upon ... Have you shared the benefits of completing a Living Will with your children/family over the age of 18? Have you had a conversation with your family and loved ones about your wishes for your care should something un-expected or over-whelming happen to your health and well-being? Are there members of your family that could benefit by your encouragement &/or assistance in writing these things down and sharing them with the people who can best fulfill these wishes. Think about teaching and showing by your example that this is  not morbid or fatalistic, this is empowerment and building realistic and healthy attitudes.

This is an opportunity for us as healthcare members of our communities to encourage our neighbors, friends, and families to advocate and empower themselves and take positive control of their end of life wishes by sharing those wishes with the people who can best assure that their wishes are followed.

Why an annual event? Our wishes, just as our lives, are not etched in stone. Things and people change, so can our future plans.