What would you want for medical care if you couldn’t speak for yourself? Who would you want to make those decisions and talk with your medical team? Have you set aside some time to talk about it? If not, National Healthcare Decisions Day, observed annually on April 16, is coming up and is the perfect excuse to get started. This day encourages individuals to express their healthcare preferences and ensures that caregivers are prepared to honor those wishes.
About our Guest Authors from The Conversation Project
The Conversation Project® is a public engagement initiative of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Their goal is both simple and transformative: to help everyone talk about their wishes for care through the end of life, so those wishes can be understood and respected.
What is National Healthcare Decisions Day?
National Healthcare Decisions Day is a nationwide initiative that aims to inspire, educate, and empower the public and healthcare providers about the importance of advance care planning. It emphasizes the need for individuals to make their healthcare preferences known before a crisis occurs. By doing so, caregivers can make informed decisions that align with the values and desires of those they care for – a family member, friend, or community member.
Actionable Steps for Caregivers
As a caregiver, you play a vital role in ensuring that the healthcare preferences of those you care for are understood and respected. Here are some actionable steps you can take:
- Walk the Walk: Reflect on Your Own Wishes: Before initiating a conversation about healthcare preferences with someone else, it’s important to “walk the walk” by thinking through your own wishes. This not only sets a positive example, but also helps you understand the process and the emotions involved. Reflect on your values and what matters most to you in your care. Share these with someone and learn more about how the conversation goes. Read more on the Conversation Project here about different caregiver journeys.
- Start a Conversation: Use The Conversation Project’s Starter Guides to initiate discussions about healthcare preferences with the person for whom you might be responsible. Get clarity on who they want as a surrogate decision maker and what type of care is best for them. It’s never too early to start these conversations.
- Document Preferences: Encourage your person to document their healthcare preferences in an advance directive. This legal document outlines their wishes for medical treatment if they are unable to communicate.
- Review and Update: Healthcare preferences can change over time. Regularly review and update advance directives to ensure they reflect your person’s current wishes. Use April 16 each year as a chance to confirm wishes are up-to-date.
- Share Information: Make sure that healthcare providers and family members are aware of your person’s preferences. Keep copies of advance directives accessible. Check out additional things you could do for NHDD.
- Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Many organizations, including The Conversation Project, offer resources and guidance to help you navigate these discussions. And if you’re part of a large family, be sure to get on the same page.
The Conversation Project: A Valuable Resource
For those who aren’t quite sure where to get started, we recommend checking out the free resources from The Conversation Project. This initiative provides tools and guidance to help individuals and families talk about their wishes for now, and through the end of life. Here are some key resources offered by The Conversation Project:
- Conversation Guides: These free guides offer step-by-step tips to start conversations about healthcare preferences with the important people in your life. They include questions to consider, tips for discussing sensitive topics, and specific advice for different situations, such as caring for a child with serious illness or someone living with dementia. Each Conversation Starter Guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese.
- Personal Stories: Reading about others’ experiences can provide insight and inspiration. The Conversation Project shares personal stories from individuals who have navigated these discussions, offering valuable perspectives.
- Tips for Sharing Conversations Where you Live, Work, Learn, and Pray: The Conversation Project also offers free resources for those who want to bring advance care planning to their community. They offer webinars, private conversation groups, social media toolkits, sample sermons, resources for hosting events, materials for health care professionals, and much more.
By taking these steps, we can ensure that the wishes of the people most important to us, are known and more likely to be honored and respected. We hope the resources from CaringInfo, The Conversation Project, and National Healthcare Decisions Day help make that experience easier.
