“What would happen if you had a
sudden illness or injury and could not make your own decisions? How would your
family, friends or health care team know your wishes? Who would speak for you?
If you are unable to make medical decisions,
someone else will do it. It would be best if they could make those decisions
based on what you would have wanted.”
(www.calglaryhealthregion.ca, 2011)
 |
| Thought-provoking discussion at the June 9 Death Cafe. |
Such is the
rationale for developing an Advance Care Plan; to ensure that in the event of being unable
or incapable to speak for yourself, you will receive the medical care you would
actually choose for yourself.
But, do you need an Advance Care Plan?
Well,
the publicized medical and legal
battle of Terry Schiavo during the 1990’s and early 2000’s, is a good
example why we should all consider having an Advance Care Plan,
regardless of our age or current state of health.
A
cardiac arrest at 26 years of age resulted in severe brain
damage which led to a 15 year vegetative state and feeding tube for
Terry. With no legal document to guide medical decisions, her husband
and parents battled each other for more than a decade before the courts
finally decided in her husband's favour; the feeding tube was removed
and Terry died a few months later.
The
Terry Schiavo
case prompted a highly emotional public response which inspired a
movement,
primarily of baby boomers, to address the issues raised by Terry’s
situation. One result was the attention to Advance Care Planning. This is the process by
which people may:
- Begin to consider the things that matter to them when making choices about future health care.
- Learn about medical care options relevant to their future needs.
- Choose the individual who will speak on their behalf when they are unable to do so.
- Tell their advocate and loved ones, about their wishes and what is important to them.
- Document their wishes so their loved ones know their wishes.
(
www.calgaryhealthregion.ca 2011)
Now, back to Personal Directives.
Personal
Directives may be included as part of an Advance Care Plan. They are
the guidelines that loved ones will use when death could be imminent.
For
example, a Personal Directive may indicate whether you want to refuse
treatment depending on a particular situation. You may decide that you
don't want further treatment if you have a certain degree of brain
damage. Or you may state that you want aggressive life-saving treatment
regardless of your medical condition.
It's all about you. It's your Personal Directive.
It's all about you. It's your Personal Directive.
Most
adults have not completed any advance care planning, including a Personal Directive. I haven't.
That's
why I'm excited that the September Death Cafe includes a workshop for
writing your own Personal Directive. We'll start with a regular style
Death Cafe, complete with conversation and cake, take a short break, and
then spend the last hour in the Personal Directive Workshop.
If you would like to join in, here's what you need to know.
If you would like to join in, here's what you need to know.
Date: Sunday, September 29th
Time: 2 - 5 PM
Location: The Sage Center ( *Hospice Calgary) 1245 70 Ave. SE
No charge (donations accepted to cover costs of refreshments and printing)
*
Although Hospice Calgary generously donates their facility for Death
Cafes, the cafes are not Hospice Calgary sponsored events.
Due to the special workshop, this particular Death Cafe will have limited space. To register your spot, go today to yycdeathcafe@gmail.com. A return email from me confirms your registration. As of Sept 17th, there are only a few spots remaining.
So,
DO you need a Personal Directive? If you think it would be a good idea,
why not take this opportunity to participate in both the
thought-provoking death and dying discussion at a Death Cafe, and the
workshop for your own Personal Directive?
Warmly
Wendy
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