How are you celebrating National Health Care Decision Day?

I doubt you are going to celebrate National Health Care Decision day with cake and balloons. However, it would be a great day to finally get your financial documents in order in case you have a healthcare crisis.

The theme of NHCD day this year is “It always seems too early, until it’s too late.”

Think of this as a positive step to make your wishes known. To begin, think about your own healthcare decisions. For example:

• If I end up in a situation where I can’t make healthcare decisions for myself, who do I want to to make those decisions for me? Who do I trust to serve as my Power of Attorney?
• If I become terminally ill; do I want the doctors to do everything possible to keep me alive or would I rather accept my prognosis and refuse further care?

It is always a good idea to have an open discussion with the person you designate as your Healthcare Power of Attorney and any contingent people who might serve in this capacity if for some reason the initial designee is not available.

In addition, you should also have a living will. This document lets others know what kinds of medical treatment you would or would not want at the end of life. A great resource for gathering more information is: http://www.nhdd.org/public-resources#where-can-i-get-an-advance-directive

Take a moment to think about it; “It always seems too early, until it’s too late.”