All About Advance Directives

A very informative meeting was held at MCC this evening on the subject of advance directives (ADs). Examples of these are living wills, durable powers of attorney for healthcare and for property, Do Not Resuscitate orders, etc.

The panel of five presented very useful information and was able to answer all questions from the audience. The meeting room was filled almost to capacity, which was really great for the panel - and for the audience.

A packet of planning forms was handed out. In it were the Five Wishes pamphlet from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a Durable Medical Power of Attorney, a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, a Decisions pamphlet from the Partners Coalition and information from the Hospice of Northeastern Illinois.

Stressed throughout the evening was the importance of "having the conversation" with family members, your doctor, and especially with the person who will serve as your Agent. Just thinking about this doesn't cut it. Nor does "planning" to do the forms. Do them! And put them where they can be found. And tell people where they are.

One form not included in standard planning is the Declaration for Mental Health Treatment. This form is available on the State of Illinois website, http://www.illinois.gov/

Many are familiar with the organ-donor sticker that you can affix to your driver's license, if your wish to be an organ donor is not recorded by the DMV on the license. What many do not know is that a different sticker is available from the Illinois Secretary of State (ILSOS) that alerts rescuers or paramedics that you have a Power of Attorney for Healthcare. If the Woodstock DMV cannot furnish this to you, contact the ILSOS for this sticker. The phone number is 800.252.8980.

Your Advance Directives need to be where they can be found. I just looked for mine; they were easily to find, but I knew which stack to look in. I keep mine in bright yellow envelopes. But I had allowed them to get buried. Now one envelope is standing up on top of the refrigerator and another is on a bookcase in the living room. Nice conversation starters; right?

An excellent piece of advice that I hadn't come across before is to keep a list of those to whom copies of the Advance Directives are given. When the ADs are revised, be sure to notify all on the list - the agent who holds the Power, the hospital, doctors, lawyer, family members.

By the way, you don't have to hire a lawyer to draw up the ADs. You can get them from the Partners Coalition (http://www.partnerscoalition.org/), from the State of Illinois website, from hospitals. Tonight a chaplain from Centegra offered his availability to discuss this type of planning with anyone who calls - no charge. Contact Patient Services at Memorial Medical Center or NIMC.

If you are really into details and exhausting all options, a multi-page packet is available from the American Bar Association website. I missed the URL at the meeting, but I'll obtain it and post it.

Another good suggestion at the meeting was to enter cell phone numbers on the various ADs. If it's necessary to reach your Agent fast, a cell phone call will surely beat the mail carrier!

Many thanks to the panel for their time tonight and their great contribution to all in the audience!