Advanced Directives &
Health Care Issues

A few good references from Marjie O'Connor

Given the pressure so many esophageal cancer patients and families are under, these might be very valuable resources. I can think of a couple of EC-Group caregivers who would have benefitted from such planning.

— Marjie

http://www.agingwithdignity.org/5wishes.html – People can order a $5.00 book that will help them prepare advance directives. The site also provides info about which states will accept the Five Wishes as legal documents.

http://www.hardchoices.com/about_hc.html – Another book, this one written by a nursing home and hospice chaplain. From the Web site:

"Hard Choices covers the most common medical treatment decisions faced by those who are living with a life-threatening illness. CPR (resuscitation efforts), artificial feeding, hospitalization of an ill person and shifting to a hospice approach are all considered in depth. Besides these most common treatment decisions, there are sections on ventilators, dialysis, antibiotics and pain control. Also, at the end of the chapters on CPR, Artificial Feeding and Comfort Care/Hospice there is a section on making these treatment choices for children. This book is not just for the elderly but for anyone facing a life-threatening illness."

http://www.midbio.org/mbc-cc.htm – From the Midwest Bioethics Center, a downloadable document for advance directives.

"Caring Conversations is endorsed by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Association and is a recommended resource by AARP and Bill Moyers' outreach materials for his PBS series, On Our Own Terms."

The goals of Caring Conversations:

To shift the focus of advance care planning to include conversations with family and friends.

To provide community education.

To educate healthcare providers who participate in advance care planning.

To help families advocate on behalf of those who can no longer speak for themselves.

To ensure that the wishes of those near the end of life are honored.