“Engaging in Advance Care Planning allows you to decide ahead of time, before a crisis, who you would want to make your health care decisions and what kind of care you would want or not want. It’s a lifelong process of ongoing conversations.”

JENNY SANDERFOOT, ADVANCE CARE PLANNING ADVOCATE 

April is National Health Care Decisions Month, a time when we shine a spotlight on the importance of Advance Care Planning (ACP). The effort is designed for both community members and health care professionals to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding health care.

“We hope the month serves as a conversation starter with family members — a time when both community members and health care teams learn about the benefits of completing a Power of Attorney for Health Care,” says Jennifer Sanderfoot, an Advance Care Planning advocate.

“Engaging in ACP allows you to decide ahead of time, before a crisis, who you would want to make your health care decisions and what kind of care you would want or not want,” Sanderfoot says. “It’s a lifelong process of ongoing conversations.”

Key Conversations

It’s important to not only complete a valid Power of Attorney for Health Care (POA-HC), but also to have discussions with your loved ones about what kind of care you would want — or not want — if there ever came a time when you couldn’t speak for yourself.

Anyone 18 years or older can complete a POA-HC. In doing so, you designate someone you trust – called a health care agent – to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

“We would love to see everyone complete a POA-HC document when they turn 18 years old,” Sanderfoot says. 

“ACP is about doing what you can to ensure that the health care treatment you receive is consistent with your wishes and preferences,” she says. “Having a completed POA-HC is really a gift to our families at a critical time, especially if family members have talked through what they would want or not want.” 

Experts emphasize it’s never too early to have a POA-HC. Accidents or illnesses can happen at any age, so it’s important to be prepared, Sanderfoot says. End-of-life situations are stressful for families, and discussing wishes ahead of time will make decisions easier for your health care agent. 

Don’t Leave it to Chance

In Wisconsin, there is no automatic next-of-kin authority for many health care decisions. This means family members – including a spouse – cannot automatically make certain health care decisions if a loved one is unable to speak for themselves.  

“Documenting these decisions with a POA-HC is key,” Sanderfoot says. “Without involving the court system, the only person who can make a decision about an incapacitated patient’s care is the person (or persons) named as the health care agent in the patient’s POA-HC.”

Jenny Sanderfoot, MSW