Frederick, MD 
301-663-9230National Hospice/Palliative Care Month
David Wingate talks to Hospice of Frederick County volunteers about powers of attorneys, health care directives and living wills.
David Wingate talks to Hospice of Frederick County volunteers about powers of attorneys, health care directives and living wills.
The sixth annual National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16 proved to be another success, with particularly strong traditional and social media reach. Some highlights: · The “official” participants list includes 123 national organizations, 1,375 state/local organizations, and 16 services/registries. Countless others participated even without formally indicating their participation. · Based on survey responses from 255 of the above, it is estimated that at least: o 43,200 staff members or organizational members of participants received information about NHDD and/or advance care planning as part of NHDD; o 223,285 members of the general public attended events or received information at NHDD…
Seniors face a myriad of health, finance and legal issues that can significantly affect their lives and families for years to come. Elder Law Attorneys understand the unique needs of older adults regarding physical and mental limitations and navigating the complexities of retirement living and financial and estate planning. An elder law attorney can help with the following legal issues related to seniors: Health and personal care planning (healthcare decisions, powers of attorney, living wills, disability planning, end-of-life care) Financial planning (employment and retirement issues, asset protection, estate and gift taxes) Long-term care planning (long-term care and disability insurance, Medicare,…
Because elder law attorneys work with a variety of agencies that provide assistance or expert advice for the elderly, they understand the complexities of preparing an advance directive or living will that can be respected and carried out according to your final wishes. If you try to prepare a living will or advance medical directive on your own, you could neglect to include important information that your descendants should have in order to respect your wishes. Someone may have to hire a litigation attorney to sort things out if not everyone agrees on how to proceed. You don’t want your…
There are several questions everyone should ask themselves when preparing a living will, advance medical directive or other legal documents that have a direct impact on how a medical emergency should be handled by healthcare professionals. Elder law attorneys know that fewer than 70% of families actually make the correct choice when they are forced to guess at what their loved ones want done. Physicians are even more apt to make a judgment call that isn’t in line with their patients’ final wishes or religious beliefs. Before you begin to prepare an advance directive or living will with your estate…
No one wants to think about being incapacitated before they die. Most of us hope that we’ll never have to be a financial, emotional or physical burden to our loved ones, but the reality is that many people live longer than anticipated and may end up being a monetary and emotional weight on our children or spouses. Fortunately, there are many elder law attorneys who can help you prepare various documents, including advance directives and living wills, that address these issues. Avoiding making end of life plans is a mistake that can have a profound effect on our own lives…
Organ donation You can also specify in your advance directives any wishes you have about donating your organs, eyes and tissues for transplantation or your body for scientific study. If you wish to donate your body for scientific study, contact the medical school closest to your home for details. Share your wishes with your family Injury, illness and death aren't easy subjects to talk about, but by planning ahead you can ensure that you receive the type of medical care you want. You also relieve your family of the burden of trying to guess what you'd want done. Be sure…
Living wills and other advance directives describe your preferences regarding end-of-life care. Because unexpected situations can happen at any age, all adults need advance directives. Living wills and other advance directives describe your preferences regarding treatment if you're faced with a serious accident or illness, states the Mayo Clinic. These legal documents speak for you when you're not able to speak for yourself — for instance, if you're in a coma. Living wills and other advance directives aren't just for older adults. Unexpected end-of-life situations can happen at any age, so it's important for all adults to have advance directives….
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that in regions of the U.S. that tend to spend the most on end-of-life care, patients who have "advance directives" cost Medicare about $5,600 less per person. (Advance directives allow patients to communicate their end-of-life wishes if they are unable to do so themselves.) These patients' quality of life also appeared to be better; they were more likely to receive hospice care and to be at home when they died. But the differences in spending and care did not hold up in regions of the country with low-…
