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Where is the Living Will?
A Living Will, Healthcare Surrogate or other healthcare directives have no value until they can be presented to medical personnel when and where they are needed. It is not enough to say, "I am Mother's Healthcare Surrogate and she has a Living Will. I don't have it here. It must be at her house somewhere." You can't put on your seat belt after the car crashes, just as you can't deliver an advance directive that is not readily available. Be prepared.
There are a number of things we all should do to avoid this situation. Make copies, plenty of copies, and, along with medical information such as current medications and physicians' names and numbers, put a set in an envelope on the refrigerator where emergency personnel can readily find it. Put a set in the glove compartment so they are available if you are not at home. Also keep a set at work. You should be sure that the primary, and other physicians providing treatment, are aware of these wishes and that copies are placed into the medical records. Neighbors and other family members may be appropriate people to have copies, as they may be best able to get them into the hands of medical personnel when an emergency occurs. You cannot have too many copies. Make extras and share them.
Today's technology also provides new ways to make advance directives available anytime and anywhere. They can be posted on an Internet site and the Internet address and access instructions carried in a wallet, purse or in the envelope on the refrigerator door. Wherever you may be, wherever your Surrogate is located, whenever the documents are needed, they will be waiting and available.
You should however be cautious of providing access only through technology driven systems. These documents should be available for use by low and no tech people, as well as high tech users. The refrigerator door is still the most universally accepted place for first response personnel to look for emergency information; therefore it is the first and most important place to keep a set.
The LifeLedger will assist you in using all the options from no tech to high tech. Don't choose one option; choose them all. The most important part of making advanced directives effective is to discuss your wishes with, and provide the documents to, those who may be able to get them into the right hands when and where they are needed. This is the way you can "Buckle-up" so your wishes will be followed.
Article supplied by Elder Issues.
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