Advance care planning is for all adults. It is a process of thinking and talking about your values, beliefs and goals for future health care in the event you could not make medical care decisions on your own.
Complete a Health Care Directive
It’s important to put your goals, values, and preferences in writing. A health care directive is a written plan you can make outlining your future medical decisions and choices.
This document is used to communicate your wishes if you are unable to do so, including the designation of a health care agent. Your agent may need to make decisions about your medical care, tests, surgery or end-of-life care; choose doctors or other health care team members or a care facility; review and release medical records; and stop treatment, if that is in your stated wishes.
Completing a health care directive helps to make sure your family and health care team can honor your choices. You can find health care directive forms, video stories and more information online at http://www.honoringchoices.org/ You may also contact Riverwood Social Services, (218)927-5524, for information and health care directive forms.
Talk to your Primary Care Provider
If you have questions about types of life-support treatments or health conditions under which you may decline them, talk to your health care provider to gain better understanding. For more in-depth discussion and support, Riverwood patients may be referred to a staff member who has been specially trained as a First Steps Advance Care Planning Facilitator.