Decide for Yourself: Advance Healthcare Directive

There may come a time when you'll need written directives outlining your wishes regarding certain lifesaving interventions. This cannot be accomplished without a legal form that is commonly known as a living will. If you don't have written advanced healthcare directives but you do want to reduce confusion and conflicts arising from end-of-life medical decisions, here are five medical procedures to consider including in your living will according to the National Institute of Aging.

Use of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

You can specify if and when you would like CPR to be administered to restart your heart in a living will. This activity involves vigorous pumping of the chest cavity and is not always successful with elderly or frail individuals. You can also specify the use of electrical or mechanical resuscitation methods.

If and how long to be on a mechanical ventilator

A ventilator helps you breathe. You might need one if you have COVID-19, suffered a brain injury, had a stroke or suffered other serious injury preventing oxygen from reaching the lungs. A tube is either put down your throat or directly into a hole made in your trachea to force air into your lungs. If you want to ensure that you're not put on a ventilator or kept on one, a living will can make your wishes clear for your medical team and family.

Tube feeding through the nose or abdomen

The idea behind tube feeding is to prevent food, liquids and medication from entering the lungs. Also, feeding through a tube inserted either through the nose or the abdominal wall into the stomach or small intestine can prevent aspiration pneumonia, ensure proper nutrition and keep the weight at a healthy level. You can make sure your medical team understands your wishes with regard to tube feeding. There are alternatives such as assisted oral feeding that may work just as well for people with dementia.

Intravenous (IV) fluid feeding

It may become necessary to deliver nutrients or medication intravenously. In the case of IV feeding, the liquid enters your bloodstream via a vein. If receiving intravenous nutrients is something you want to avoid or control, you can specify what conditions this method of feeding can be administered.

Hospice care

Many people want to remove the burden of deciding when to begin and end hospice (also called palliative care and comfort care). To ensure your medical team and family know your wishes around the circumstances that call for comfort care and the type of care itself, put your decisions down in writing. Be sure to consult with your doctor and read about the many end-of-life interventions used to ease pain, soothe the mind and treat troubling issues such as constipation, nausea, trouble breathing and many more.

Remember to consult your physician about including any of these medical procedures in your living will.

Contact the Law Offices of Donald W. Hudspeth P.C. to help create an advanced healthcare directive according to Arizona state law.

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