你有你的臨終計劃嗎？四月十六日是美國醫療保健決定日

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).


中美文化差別極大，特別是在死的問題上。中國人忌諱談死，認為不吉利。但美國人卻常常把死掛在嘴上，不僅不怕死，而且對死亡和臨終問題還有計劃和遺囑。孰是孰非？我認為在處理死的問題上，還是美國人高人一籌。

" 'Would you like to discuss your end-of-life plans today?' I ask my patients this question, though not as often as I'd like. Talking about death may be uncomfortable, but it's a conversation that needs to happen more often." --Kevin Pho, MD.

Dr. Kevin Pho's assertion is one that may have been cause for pause for patients and families years ago. However, as people continue to become educated on the value of advance care planning through initiatives like National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), it is a sentiment that is garnering the thought and consideration it deserves amongst medical professionals, patients and families.

And, with NHDD just one day away -- on Saturday, April 16th-- Pho has penned an incredibly timely piece on the subject. In his most recent column, published several days ago in USA Today -- Politics mustn’t silence end-of-life talks -- Pho expounds on the importance of advance care planning for a wide readership.

We hope this impactful op-ed will complement the many NHDD events across the nation and inspire people from all walks of life to not only 'have the talk,' but walk the walk by completing their advance directives.

Moved to complete your own advance directive or to help your loved ones engage in advance care planning? Check out tips on how to start the process in 'NHDD Blog Rally 2011' and take the NHDD 2011 Pledge featured in the website sidebar.

Get an Advance Directive

What is an advance directive?
All adults can benefit from thinking about what their healthcare choices would be if they are unable to speak for themselves.  These decisions can be written down in an advance directive so that others know what they are.  Advance directives come in two main forms:

• A "healthcare power of attorney" (or "proxy" or "agent" or "surrogate") documents the person you select to be your voice for your healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself. 
• A "living will" documents what kinds of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life.

How can I learn more about advance directives/advance care planning?

The links below explore a variety of resources to help you make, discuss and document future healthcare wishes and decisions. 

• AARP: End-of-Life Planning
• Advance Care Planning Day Initiative:  Advance Care Planning
• Aging with Dignity: Five Wishes
• Amedisys: Discussion Guide for Advance Care Planning
• American Bar Association: Tool kit for Health Care Advance Planning; 10 Legal Myths about Advance Medical Directive  
• American Health Lawyers Association: Guide to Legal Issues in Life Limiting Conditions; Loving Conversations (video) on Advance Care Planning 
• American Hospital Association: Put It In Writing
• Caring Connections: Advance Care Planning; Financial Information; Planning Ahead Checklist; Free Brochures
• Center for Practical Bioethics: Caring Conversations Workbook  
• Cancer.net: Advanced Cancer Care Planning Workbook
• National Association of Social Workers: Advance Care Planning and Psychiatric Advance Directives 

Where can I get an advance directive?
Aging With Dignity (Five Wishes)  

The Five Wishes document helps individuals express care options and preferences. The advance directive meets the legal requirements in most states and is available in 20 languages for a nominal fee. Order online or call 850.681.2010.

Caring Connections

Caring Connections offers free, state-specific advance directives for all 50 states and DC that meet the legal requirements for each state.  Download individual copies for free or call 800.658.8898 to have a copy mailed to you.

Center for Practical Bioethics

Caring Conversations is a workbook to help individuals and families communicate with each other about their healthcare preferences and contains advance directive documents.  These forms are valid in every state when notarized and signed by two witnesses.  Download for free or call800.344.3829 to order.  

Compassion and Choices

Compassion & Choices offers an advance care planning tool kit and state-specific advance directive materials.

Lifecare Advance Directives

The Lifecare Advance Directive website offers free state-standard advance directives for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four major United States territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands). Research validated comprehensive advance directies, as well as completion guides, agent guides, and other important advance directive support documents are also available.

MedicAlert Foundation
The MedicAlert Foundation offers emergency medical information and identification services including Do Not Resuscitate medical IDs and option to store advance directives for all 50 states.

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives offers general and state-specific information on psychiatric advance directives.

Organ Donation Choices: http://www.organdonor.org/ or http://www.donatelife.net/

Project Grace

Project Grace offers a free Advance Care Planning Document that is legally valid in states that do not require forms to be notarized. Download for free, or call 877.99.GRACE to order a copy. 

The Will to Live Project

The Will to Live Project  provides state specific forms for designating an agent and stating healthcare wishes. 

The Patients’ Rights Council

The Patients’ Rights Council offers a durable power of attorney document (in either multistate or state-specific versions) that expressly defines and prohibits euthanasia.

所有跟帖： 

• 有臨終計劃! -smeagol1- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 21:31:15

• 不錯！我想絕大多數中國人 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (21 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 21:34:25

• 我做的是醫療照護事前指示與安寧療護 -smeagol1- ♀ (172 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 21:41:17

• 佛教和生命輪回，在死的問題上是 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (101 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 21:49:13

• 平常沒信仰的臨時抱佛腳還有用嗎? -weston- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 21:58:47

• 信仰這東西常常是頓悟的，死前 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (69 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:03:09

• :)))))))))))) -smeagol1- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:10:59

• 同意。頓悟越早越好。 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 05:08:31

• 嗯，任何時候都不遲，不過還是越早越好~ 嘿嘿 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/17/2011 postreply 04:49:21

• 嗯，信仰的門永遠是敞開的。不過還是越早越好~ 嘿嘿 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/17/2011 postreply 04:53:18

• 真正頓悟才有用。臨時假裝的沒用。 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/18/2011 postreply 17:26:03

• 真正頓悟才有用。 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/18/2011 postreply 17:31:29

• 有用，可很多人臨終抱不上佛腳 -smeagol1- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:10:34

• 謝謝提醒。朋友的太太去世沒遺囑,有一單名銀行賬戶5千刀,申請繼承後扣得隻剩幾百。 -ooopsss- ♂ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:13:39

• 單名銀行帳號應該像IRA一樣,放上第一繼承人:配偶,第二繼承人:子女.這樣就應該沒事了吧。 -swj2000- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:42:08

• 很多人都不會這樣細心，銀行職員有時會提醒一下。 -ooopsss- ♂ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 22:45:10

• 這個問題太複雜，有遺囑也可能要交遺產稅和手續費 -dudaan- ♂ (235 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 05:24:06

• 人人怕死包括美國人。隻能說他們在處理死和善後比較開明。 -華灜- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/15/2011 postreply 23:44:54

• 美國老人獨立生活能力強，自立，遠比中國老人 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (172 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 14:08:32

• 嗯，發達國家的老人普遍比較獨立是事實！促成的因素很多如福利保障，經濟獨立 -華灜- ♀ (45 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 16:52:54

• 信仰也是舉足輕重的！隻要有 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (57 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 19:24:47

• 嗯，信仰的門永遠是敞開的。越早越好~ 嘿嘿 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/17/2011 postreply 04:58:50

• 在死的問題上，感覺有信仰的人對此的心態更放得開。中國以前有信仰的人很多，現在 -woth- ♀ (39 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 11:23:54

• 美國人死後開追悼會的名字也很響亮，叫 -JoshuaChow- ♂ (82 bytes) () 04/16/2011 postreply 14:17:06

• 中文的慶祝和英文的Celebrate的涵蓋不一樣，英文可以歡樂可以嚴肅 -dudaan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 04/17/2011 postreply 05:24:25

• 這個厲害！我有感覺到，可咋就沒想到要說出來：（ -華灜- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/18/2011 postreply 01:21:16

• 那叫追思會 -jck6- ♀ (0 bytes) () 04/17/2011 postreply 10:13:56