As you age, you — like many other individuals — may have come to terms with the fact that you will one day die. While this thought may not fill you with joy, it may also no longer fill you with dread or fear. As a result, you may feel ready to address the possibility that you could end up in a potentially terminal situation at some point in your remaining years.
While you may have accepted your eventual demise, you may still have opinions on how a serious health-related situation should be handled. Because you may not have the ability to voice those opinions when the need arises, you should plan ahead by creating a living will or other type of advance healthcare directive.
Make your wishes known
Each person has his or her own views when it comes to how medical professionals should handle a health crisis. Some people would like doctors to perform every treatment possible in hopes of extending their lives, and others may simply want to pass on as comfortably as possible. Due to the unique nature of each person’s situation, detailing your own wishes could ease the burden on your mind and on your family, who may have to make difficult decisions on your behalf.
Specify your preferred care
In your planning documents, you may want to use specific terms to indicate the type of care you deem acceptable. Some people may prefer to use blanket phrases such as “all necessary care,” but this broad statement could result in your receiving treatments and undergoing procedures that do little or nothing to help your situation.
You may also fall into the category of individuals who would prefer to pass on naturally in the event that your quality of life has reached an extremely low point. You may not want life-extending treatments if you will not have the ability to truly feel alive, and if that is the case, you will certainly want to make that desire known to your family.
Create a legally binding plan
When a loved one is facing a potentially terminal illness or incapacitating situation, family members may not always know the best way to handle the decisions that need making. It can also prove immensely difficult for them to let go of a loved one. If you would like to help prevent this burden from landing in your family’s hands, you may want to create a legally binding document that includes your end-of-life care wishes.