We all make plans for the future somehow, whether it’s what we want to eat for lunch, or how many days we want to spend on vacation this summer. Something we tend to ignore when it comes to planning is our health. An advance directive, also known as a living will, identifies what you want for your future, and is a way to communicate that with others if something happens.

A living will communicates your healthcare choices so that if you’re unable to speak for yourself, others will know your decisions. It allows you to designate a person to act on your behalf in these situations and it allows your family and loved ones to make difficult decisions with your own guidance.

Many people hire a lawyer to make an advance directive or living will. Making Choices Michigan offers a free service to create one. All adults should have one, but it’s common for people in their 30s and 40s to create them. Not having one means that in most cases where you are incapable of communicating your wishes, the state will decide what happens to you, not your family or yourself. Healthcare providers will keep you alive as long as possible and a legal process will be required if someone wants you to be taken off of life support. The court could also decide who your guardian will be and can make decisions for you.

You can keep that from happening by getting ahead of the game and making a living will of your own. It’s easiest if you do it when you are healthy, rather than when you are ill or facing a major health situation. You’ll want to include things like how you want to feel in your last days, how your religious beliefs should shape the decision-making process, and what should happen if there’s a situation with a low medical probability of getting back to regular life.

Once you’ve created a living will, you can update what’s in it if you’d like. If you are of sound mind to change it, you can make any amendments or changes you want at any time. In fact, most people update their living will several times throughout their lives, maybe after they get married, or have children. You can also name more than one person as a decision maker in your living will.

So now that you’ve made one, what’s next? The first thing to do is let people know you’ve created one. The hospital can scan a copy of your advance directive into their system so that if anything happens, it’s easily accessible. There’s also a registry online where you can upload it.

People are important and their stories are powerful. Click here to hear Fred’s. 

Published in The Grand Rapids Press on Feb. 24, 2019

You needn’t enroll in a class to educate yourself about hospice care. And you shouldn’t be shy about making inquiries on behalf of yourself or a loved one.

What follows are some basics to consider, along with a little light to shed on some common misconceptions:

• Hospice is typically reserved for someone with a life-ending condition who has six or fewer months to live, as determined by a licensed physician. It focuses neither on prolonging nor ending life, but instead on delivering end-of-life care, maximizing comfort and reducing pain.
• A typical hospice team will be comprised of a medical director, primary physician, nurses, social worker, aides, volunteers, pastoral caregiver and therapists specializing in a wide variety of complementary therapies.
• Contrary to what you might have heard, hospice is not about giving up. Rather, it’s about providing a gift to your loved one so they’re able to enjoy their final days as pain-free as possible.
• Hospice is often provided in the patient’s home, wherever that might be. It relies on a host of caregivers. And in addition to traditional medicine, organizations like Emmanuel Hospice offer massage, music, pet and essential oil therapies; as well as acupressure and more. “We basically do whatever is needed to make the patient comfortable,” says Christina Sanders, a team lead certified nursing assistant for Emmanuel.
• Some hospices, such as Emmanuel, are non-profit. Some others are for-profit. You have a right to know, and should ask up front if that’s a concern. There is usually no direct cost to families for hospice care, as Medicaid and Medicare and most private insurers cover medicine, supplies, equipment and the team providing care.
• Hospice providers typically go out of their way to share information. “We provide a lot of options,” says Sanders, noting that Emanuel offers packets that outline available resources. Websites are also a good place to learn more. The more you ask, the more you know.
• “Palliative care” differs from hospice care in that it provides total care for patients with a progressive or advanced disease for whom the prognosis for survival is limited, but who may have longer than six months to live.
• Hospice organizations treat not only the patient, but caregivers and families. And if they’re like Emmanuel, they continue to provide services even after death, including grief support and other types of support groups.
• In some cases, patients in hospice become better to a point that they no longer need hospice and “graduate” from it.
• People sometimes wait too long before calling hospice in. “We hear that a lot,” says Sanders. “It’s perceived as a scary thing, but it doesn’t have to be, especially when people realize what a service we provide. We end up taking a lot of stress off the family.” When in doubt, Sanders says “sooner is usually better than later” to initiate contact.

For more information, give us a call or send us an email: 616.719.0919 / info@emmanuelhospice.org

Do you own a friendly kitty? Emmanuel Hospice is seeking a Volunteer Handler/Cat Team to visit our patients. Through a generous community grant, Emmanuel Hospice will cover the cost of your pet’s therapy certification. Step by step, we’ll walk you through the process – qualification begins with a friendly cat, aged one year or older, who has lived in your home for at least six months. Of course, kitty must be house-trained, vaccinated against rabies, with no history of aggressive behavior. The Patient and Family Support volunteer orientation program is self-paced and upon successful completion, you and your kitty will participate in the pet therapy certification process.

We’re very excited to add cats to our established Pet Visitor program and continue providing joy and increased quality of life to those in our care. Please give us a call if you’re interested in volunteering or learning more, 616.719.0919.