Importance of Addressing End of Life Issues

Article submitted by Bernadine Dailey, RN, General Manager at Odyssey HealthCare of San Antonio.
You can learn more about hospice care by visiting the website of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (www.nhpco.org) or the website of Odyssey HealthCare (www.odsyhealth.com), or call Odyssey at 1-800-409-8598.

Last year the country heard a lot about the heartbreaking story of Terri Schiavo and her family. No matter what your personal opinion of the "best" outcome for her and her family, the lesson we should learn is the importance of having end-of-life discussions with our families and preparing legal documents so that those wishes can be carried out even if our ability to communicate is impaired due to illness or accident.

Hospice is a special program that is designed to provide End of Life care and support to patients and their families facing a life limiting illness. The goal of a hospice program is to provide a broad range of pain and symptom management for patients and provide both patients and families with psychosocial services to assist them during this difficult time in their lives. In hospice, social workers, chaplains and clinicians are trained to assist patients and families in their end-of-life decisions; they do not make those decisions for patients or families, and do not sit in judgment of those choices. Hospice clinicians do know from years of experience that while they can assist terminally ill patients and their families with their advance directives-the term used to describe the written documents that describe end-of-life treatment wishes, it is far easier to have those family discussions without the stress of life-limiting illnesses and conditions.

It's estimated that 80 percent of Americans do not have advance directives or healthcare powers of attorney. No doubt you or some of your loved ones fall in that category. So, while death and dying is never a pleasant topic, it is far easier to discuss without the stresses of an impending life-limiting illness.

Use Terri Schiavo's case to open your family dialogue today.

Ask your family to openly discuss their individual wishes, not just those specific to Ms. Schiavo's case. Consult your local hospice, church or your own lawyer for help in writing your personal advance directive (or living will as it is also called) with specific instructions on your wishes for your end-of-life circumstances. Various websites, including www.caringinfo.org can also provide assistance. Make sure others in your family who might be involved in your care are aware of your wishes and have a copy of your living will. Provide a copy of your advance directive to your physician.

Terri Schiavo's very difficult saga can have a positive affect if we each learn from it and take action today.