Benjamin Franklin wrote, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
National Healthcare Decisions Day is April 16, the day after tax day. NHDD exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and health care professionals about the importance of advance care planning. For information: www.nhdd.org.
Volunteers, the PeaceHealth hospital in my town, and other organizations are planning events leading up to NHDD. I hope that PeaceHealth Medical Group will lead by example throughout the hospital system in Washington, Oregon and Alaska and make advance care planning a priority in their services.
There’s often heartbreak and unnecessary second-guessing among survivors in the absence of meaningful conversations with our doctors and families about our end-of-life care. We make plans for life’s milestones — careers, marriage, having children, retirement. It makes sense to talk about our values, wishes, and goals to relieve the burden of guesswork we put on our loved ones and professional caregivers, if we don’t speak up while we can.
