National Healthcare Decisions Day
National Healthcare Decisions Day has been held on April 16 since 2007. Yet, the pandemic has altered the way Americans are living – and the focus on advance care planning has taken on a significant meaning for many people.
In recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day, we encourage you to talk with your loved ones about your health care wishes and to document those wishes by creating an advanced care plan as well as a will.
A 2012 study in California found that approximately 80% of people said they believed that advance healthcare planning was important, yet less than 25% had actually engaged in it. Similarly, 70% of American adults don’t have a will. Yet, both of these documents are essential ways to plan for your future.
Any adult can create an advanced care plan – regardless of your age, health status, or specific choices. It’s important that everyone talk about the care you would or would not want with your loved ones.
We have two important resources available for you, at no cost:
- Providence Institute of Human Caring – Learn More about Advanced Care Planning or download an Advanced Care Directive Form
- FreeWill – an online tool you can use to create a legal will in less than 20 minutes
We hope that a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, more people in our community will have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete advance directives to make their wishes known. This way fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of your guidance and healthcare providers and facilities will be better able to honor your wishes when the time comes to do so