Decision making around serious illness: act now

(NC) With the COVID-19 pandemic causing a significant health crisis, now’s the time to start thinking about serious illness decision-making. This is especially true for those who are taking care of older family members, be it aging parents or grandparents, as they are the most susceptible.

For most of us, any advance medical care planning we’ve already done has likely focused on end-of-life care. But this isn’t helpful in the current situation. Planning for care for when you know for certain you are dying is not the same as planning for serious illness. COVID-19 is an example of a serious illness where there is a probability of either death or survival.

A key factor in preparing for serious illness is learning and understanding how medical decisions are made when seriously ill. It’s also equally important for you to know what to say and how best to work with doctors to ensure the medical care you or a loved one receive is the care that is right for you.

This is why it’s vital to share your medical preferences with your family, as the time could come when you may be too sick to participate in decision-making.

You should also find out what your family members would prefer, since you may be called upon to make decisions on their behalf.

Family members often find the experience of making life-and-death decisions for others very stressful. But that stress can be reduced by having plans and conversations in advance.

Plan Well guide is an online tool that can assist in this process. It can help your whole family have input on how future medical conditions are handled and what the informed medical treatment choices are.

More information around how to plan for serious illness is available online at planwellguide.com.