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Health Care Planning
No one can predict what their long-term health will look like, but we can all prepare for the possibilities. As a care partner, your focus may be, understandably, be on your loved one’ s future health and well-being. While it’ s important to understand their wishes around topics like later and end-of-life care, it is equally as important to have those plans in place for yourself, too. Many care partners wonder what will happen to their loved one if something happens to them. Advance care planning can bring peace of mind to you both and is a crucial part of your own self-care.
Start planning by asking questions. Think about your own goals, wishes and values. What’ s most important to you? This will likely be an emotional exercise. The feelings that may surface are valid; take the time to acknowledge and honor them.
After you identify what kind of later or end-of-life care you want, formalize those wishes through written, legal paperwork known as advance directives. Advance directives typically include the following:
A health care power of attorney( or health care proxy or medical power of attorney) is a person you appoint to make care decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. This should be a person who understands your wishes and who will direct your care accordingly.
A living will outlines how you wish to be cared for at end of life if you become seriously ill or unable to communicate. It often includes information about whether and when you’ d want interventions like breathing or feeding tubes, CPR, antibiotics or other life-sustaining supports, as well as directives around tissue or organ donation.
Know that you may never need to use these plans. As the saying goes, plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Advance Care Planning Considerations
As you and your loved one begin advance care planning, consider the following prompts to start conversations:
+ What makes life worth living? Feeling and giving love? Having purpose? Spending time with loved ones?
+ What does quality of life look like to me? What kind of care will support that?
+ What care do I want— or not want— to receive at the end of life?
+ What are my hopes for the next five, ten or 20 years?
+ Do I hold faith-based beliefs that impact the type of health care I’ d like to receive? How can my cultural, spiritual or religious beliefs be honored?
+ Are there medical conditions that might change my treatment goals?
+ Where do I want to live long-term? Will I prioritize staying at home as long as possible?
+ How do I feel about bringing more care, like professional caregivers, into the home?
+ What Parkinson’ s symptoms worry me most?
+ If symptoms prevent me from living on my own or at home, where would I like to live? What would the best place, and best care, look like?
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