By Spencer Mahon smahon @ richmondregister . com

Planning for your future is something that often goes overlooked .

This thought dawned on me when I went to dinner with my best friend from college and her husband . We somehow got on the topic of living wills and my friend said , “ oh , we need to do our living wills ,” to her husband . My response ? “ What do you guys need living wills for ?!” In that moment , it didn ’ t dawn on me that things can happen in an instant . My best friend could be gone tomorrow , heck , I could be gone tomorrow . I don ’ t have ANY advanced care planning done .

At least my friend and her husband have thought about it .

Advanced care planning is usually thought of when people get older , but is applicable to any age , Brenna Wallhauser of Hospice Care Plus told me .

“ We ( Hospice Care Plus ) do free education on [ advanced care planning ], we provide the five wishes document and keep an inventory that we give out for free ,” she said .

Other things they do along with the education they do online and providing the five wishes document include speaking about advance directives with people .

The five wishes document is one of the many advance directives that they speak about . Other options other than five wishes include living wills , healthcare surrogate , DNR ( Do Not Resuscitate ) orders and Health Care Power of Attorney .

All of these are legal documents that can be filled

out so others know your wishes .

Unlike my friends , who are part of the few percent who have put their thoughts down to writing , I am one of the many who haven ’ t , but think it ’ s important .

Ninety-seven percent think it ’ s important to have their wishes in writing but three percent have actually done it . This is the most obvious and biggest gap .

That gap continues throughout the advanced care planning conversation , 92 % say it ’ s important to talk about their care to loved ones but 18 % have while 80 % want to speak to their doctor about treatment preferences if seriously ill and 18 % have had that talk with their doctor , Hospice Care Plus says .

“ Before you legalize what you want , you have to know what you want ,” the company says when they present about

the “ conversation starter ” from the Conversation Project .

“ The [ Conversation Project ] website is an exceptional resource for advance care planning and how to have conversations with your family and medical team about the kind of care you want . It also has a great resource specific to those caring for someone with Alzheimer ’ s / dementia ,” Wallhauser told the Register in an email .

Why do all this ?

“ It ’ s part of our mission to improve the quality of life of those with a serious illness . This is a very important way to do that . Quality of life is affected when our care and treatment wishes aren ’ t known or followed ,” Wallhauser said .

The information that Hospice Care Plus provides is free to anyone who asks and they will provide the slide deck .

Good Health Magazine 2024 • 9