What Matters Most: My wishes for care through the end of life

It’s important to think about what matters most at end-of-life care and communicate that with your loved ones. Sharing this ensures that your wishes are understood and respected. These can be challenging conversations. Our staff is here to help you.

Put Your Wishes in Writing

Advance care planning is a way to put your wishes in writing and have them become part of your medical record. You can do this through the use of a health care proxy, surrogate, or medical order for life sustaining treatment.

• Health Care Proxy – You appoint someone you trust — for example, a family member or close friend – to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. It is important that the person you appoint knows your wishes regarding the type of care you would or would not want. Your social worker can help you complete a health care proxy form.
• Surrogate – If a person does not have a health care proxy and doesn’t have the capacity to appoint one, a surrogate may be appointed to carry out their wishes. A surrogate can be a spouse, relative, or close friend.
• Medical orders for life sustaining treatment (MOLST) – You choose the types of medical treatment you would or would not want, including resuscitation preferences (resuscitate CPR or do not resuscitate DNR), as well as other medical directives. You or your health care proxy complete this document, with the doctor and/or social worker, when you are admitted.

For more information go to https://theconversationproject.org/

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