Are you involved in guardianship matters or end of life, health care decision-making?
What does my guardian need to know about my health care decisions?
Perhaps you are an elder law lawyer, professional guardian, or you provide Hospice-like or palliative care services.
Maybe you manage an assisted living facility or skilled nursing care facility.
Regardless, you may wish to read today’s Wall Street Journalopinion/editorial by Milwaukee’s Dr. Brittany A. Bettendorf.
It’s nothing short of outstanding.
She discusses the challenges which people, including medical professionals, face with end of life care and treatment.
Not everyone has a health care proxy or a living will and not every one has family or close friends to whom they delegate the authority tomake health care decisions, when one is not able to.
That’s right: not every one is able to sign a DNR (do not resuscitate order) and not everyone appoints a health care surrogateor durable power of attorney for health care decisions.
Her insight in today’s Wall Street Journal was spectacular: a lone patient, literally alone in the world, but for her service providers, care givers, medical professionals.
Absolutely alone in this world…. and dying.
With no one to make decisions for her. Are we too pre-occupied with preventing death?
Not focused enough on enjoying and sustaining a meaningful life and existence?
