Although no one wants to think about this, if you or a loved one are suffering from severe illness, maybe it is a good idea to think about the beginning end of life planning. Without a plan in place, families will have to guess what the decedent would have wanted and make other difficult decisions in a tumultuous time.
One such severe illness is Alzheimer’s disease. This degenerative disease slowly damages brain cells over the course of years and, as a result, people with this illness will have a decline in mental capacity and will begin to lose their memories. Since most people don’t want to leave a mess for families, it is best to take care of the legal matters as soon as you can. It is wise to get your affairs in order before more serious symptoms present themselves and complicate the process of end of life planning.
What do you need to know about the end of life planning?
Before moving forward and getting your end of life plan in place, you might want to ask yourself some questions, such as:
What type of treatments do you want?
Alzheimer’s disease can have various treatments, but there is no cure yet. Depending on the severity of the disease and the areas of the brain that are affected different treatments may be administered. When the condition is severe, you may need the following medical care: antibiotics, surgery, artificial respiration and hydration etc.
Do not resuscitate order (DNRO) is not for everyone.
A DNRO is only for people who are already very ill. It should not be confused with a Health Care Surrogate, which lays out desires for health care in general.
The DNRO is on a yellow paper and is a doctor generated document. Sometimes patients do not want treatments like CPR. In such cases, you need to have a completed form in place so that your wish is carried out. Once you complete this form, medical institutions will not perform CPR or other emergency life-saving procedures. THat’s why this is only for people who are already very ill.
Talk to your doctor about the end of life care
If you have an end-of-life plan in mind, first consult with the person caring for you or who are close to you. Usually, this is a family member or close friend.
Next, you should consult your doctor about it. It helps them understand how you want things to be in advance. On top of that, he can help you get what you want in medical terms. Many states use a POLST form which outlines these issues with your doctor. It is usually pink. Although Florida has not made POLST the law, you can still get the form and go over the end of life and other issues outlined in the form: https://polst.org/form-patients/
Hospice care
A person and their family often go through a great deal of hardship and distress when they are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. There will come a time, as the symptoms advance, that you and your family will need special care.
If the symptoms are severe enough you can request for hospice care. Hospice care is provided by dietitians, nurses, social workers, doctors, etc… and focuses on the quality of life of the patient. It is designed so that despite whatever disease the patient has, they are living as comfortably and happily as possible.
Hospice care does not speed up the end of life. That is a myth. It is the best benefit provided by Medicare
You need to be evaluated by a registered nurse and receive a doctor’s order to transition to this type of care. Once your request is accepted, you can extend the hospice care as long as you live. It is best to discuss this with your doctor, so he arranges hospice care for you at the right time.
Funeral plans
It is advisable to plan the funeral ahead of time. It saves the family a terrible job and it saves money. It will take the pressure off of your family to make these decisions in your absence. For a funeral plan, you can consider the following questions:
Final words
These are some points you should keep in mind when beginning Alzheimer’s end of life planning. If you consider the points above, then your family, friends, and even medical professionals can carry out your wishes accurately when you are no longer able to carry them out yourself. It will help them make the right decisions that you want when the time comes.
