No one likes to think about it, including, apparently, the medical community...
".....not sure how accurate this statistic is, but of the entire Internal Medicine department here at the Minocqua Clinic, only 20 to 30 percent have their Advanced Directive filled out...."
That's Anna Rosen, a nurse practitioner at the Marshfield Clinic in Minocqua. An Advanced Directive is a document you make so loved ones know your explicit wishes as you enter your end times. Rosen says a person may be unable to communicate medical or final wishes due to injury or illness, so the directive gives people in charge of your affairs direction concerning what to do. She says many people don't have the paperwork filled out and it can cause real problems for your loved ones...
"...so when a tragic accident happens and your loved ones have to make those decisions for you, they can do that with ease, knowing that is what you wanted for yourself. Filling it our before the big accident is a real gift you can give your family. There isn't a lot of stress because they already have everything they need....."
Rosen says Wisconsin has two health forms, a Power of Attorney For Health Care which asks whether you want to be on a ventilator, do you want a feeding tube, do you want to be in a nursing home? There's also a Living Will which focuses on a person's end hours, would you want comfort measures like medications? She says both are considered legal documents in Wisconsin.
The Marshfield Clinic-Minocqua Center is hosting a meeting for those interested in learning more. The free information meeting is Thursday, July 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. More information is at the Marshfield Clinic-Minocqua Center.
