What happens if you decide to update your Advance Directive or your surrogate? Will you remember to send it to your doctors, lawyer, surrogate, etc.? How will individuals be sure they have the latest copy?
“End-of-Life decisions should not be made at the end of life” – Un-credited
The concept of the end of life is a period that has evolved over time, with a longer duration due to advancements in health care. The end of life stage is likened to other life course stages, with specific tasks and preparations needed for a smooth transition.
"Your choice of surrogate may be more important than your living will."
"Many of the individuals around the bedside barely know each other, and this becomes an environment of misinformation, mistrust, and hidden agendas about substantial financial and estate issues ... as ex-wives and ex-husbands, half siblings who never knew each other, long-time same-sex partners (surprise, who knew?), in-laws, out-laws show up at the bedside." -- Dr. Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The legal method I suggest most for a dignified and peaceful death is to stop all treatments, especially antibiotics."
"Whose wishes for his medical treatment were we to honor? Those of my father back when he was a healthy, highly functioning geneticist? Or those of the simpler, weakened man my father had become?"
"There should be a JLMA form: Just Leave Me Alone, for those of us who concede that we’re actually going to die some day and work to keep our end-times as inexpensive and comfortable as possible."
Don't wait until you're at death's door to explore your passions, deepen your relationships and find your posse.
“They made the end of his life horrible and painful and humiliating,” Elaine Greenberg said. “What’s the sense of having a living will if it’s not honored?”
