Mere days after National Healthcare Decision Day, CQ published an op-ed on the topic of advanced
planning from Don Schumacher, president and CEO of the National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization. Advance care planning has more and more been the
topic of conversation in recent years, brought to light by both the aging baby
boomer generation, and by news coverage of families fighting for control over
end of life decisions.
In his op-ed, Schumacher points out that “year after year, we take the time to arrange family vacations, save for
retirement and even plan what next year’s garden will look like. Why, then,
wouldn’t we allot similar time to discussing and deciding what we want in our
last months of life?”
According to some recent estimates cited in the
op-ed, nearly 20 percent of those in hospice care are under the age of 65. The
stark reality highlights that individuals cannot wait to plan until they are
ready, because that time may not come until it is too late.
Right now, there are bills in the House and the
Senate that would increase the palliative care faculty and training at
educational institutions across the country. There is also a bill, the
Personalize Your Care Act of 2013, which would provide many citizens with
healthcare coverage for advanced planning.
The conversations don’t have to be hard, says Schumacher. There
are resources available to help facilitate the conversations in whatever
context they occur, from legal to spiritual. Advanced planning also alleviates
the burden among family who may argue about the best course of treatment if no
preferences are expressed.
See NAHAM News’ original coverage of National Healthcare Decision
Day here.
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