Solve the Puzzle

The puzzle of advance care medical planning has several factors working against it: while many of us have thought about what types of care we would – or would not — want if we were unable to communicate our wishes, only about one-third of adults have completed plans that make these wishes known. Of those over age 65, that number increases to just over half.

Like tax forms, these documents meet the needs of procrastinators nationwide. They seem, somehow, both complicated and boring at the same time, but are nevertheless essential to complete. Unlike taxes, there is no federal law compelling us to complete them. That is why April 16th has been designated as National Healthcare Decision Day, as a gentle nudge to move forward with this very personal task.

Barriers to completing this puzzle are typically either emotional or informational. We either simply don't want to think about (or cannot imagine) a time when we are unable to exert control over ourselves and our bodies, or we aren't sure how to go about making our wishes known ahead of time. However, the benefits of doing so far outweigh the minor inconvenience and forced introspection of putting a plan in place.

Not having documents such as Health Care Power of Attorney, Mental Health Care Power of Attorney, and Living Will compromise your independence when you need it most. We need to be able to assert our wishes so that our values can emerge even under difficult circumstances, should they arise. In this spirit, I invite you to attend the Advance Planning Puzzle 101 on Wednesday, April 12th, from 2:00-3:00PM in the Agelink Great Room. We will review the scope of these three documents, as well as how to complete them and what to do with them once completed. No need to RSVP for this event.

Upcoming Focus group

In addition to helping you with your Advance Planning needs, I would love to hear from you about other issues or resource assistance you feel is relevant to improving your experience here at beatitudes campus. I will be meeting informally with interested residents on Tuesday, March 7th, from 10:00 to 11:00AM, here in the Success Matters office in the Agelink building. If you'd like to stop by, please let me know at x16117. If you can't make it that morning, just give me a call to share your thoughts any time.

Author Info: Beatitudes Campus

At the foundation of Beatitudes Campus is the vision of Church of the Beatitudes pastors and congregation members to create a better alternative for older adults than the nursing homes of the early 1960s. The type of community they imagined was the first of its kind in Arizona. Beatitudes Campus is proud to continue the legacy of our founders, by being a leader in the field of aging services for over 50 years.