This Box, along with Health, will be immediately available as soon as Emergency Mode is activated for your Loved Ones. Here’s what to do if you’re the one who triggered it-
Where to Start:
Review all the Items within the Box as well as any Files or Info-Cards associated to them. As you review, you’ll be able to tell which Items are the most relevant to your situation. If your Loved One is in need of medical attention, there may be a plan in place that you can consider / refer to. If your Loved One is deceased, there may be other priorities.
Item-by-Item:
Link to an Item:
Advanced Medical Directive:
If your loved one is incapacitated and has an advanced medical directive, follow these steps to ensure their healthcare wishes are respected:
- Present the Directive to Healthcare Providers:
Provide the advanced medical directive to the attending doctors or hospital staff as soon as possible. This document will guide them in making medical decisions based on your loved one’s preferences, such as life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation, or pain management. - Act as the Healthcare Proxy:
If you’re named as the healthcare proxy or power of attorney in the directive, you are responsible for making medical decisions on their behalf. Ensure that your decisions align with the instructions laid out in the directive. - Communicate with Medical Staff:
Work closely with the healthcare team to discuss your loved one’s treatment options, making sure they respect the specific wishes expressed in the directive. You may need to clarify or interpret certain preferences based on the medical situation. - Stay Informed and Available:
Remain accessible for updates and decisions throughout the treatment process, and keep a copy of the directive handy. This will help avoid delays and ensure that your loved one’s choices are honored in a timely manner.
If any disputes or misunderstandings arise, consider seeking legal advice to ensure the directive is properly enforced.
What’s the value of an Advanced Directive if your Loved One has passed away?
Once your loved one passes away, the advanced medical directive typically no longer holds any legal value, as its purpose is to guide healthcare decisions during life. However, there are a few ways it can still provide value:
- Clarifying End-of-Life Wishes:
If the directive includes instructions about end-of-life care, such as organ donation or autopsy preferences, it can guide the family and medical staff in fulfilling those wishes. - Providing Peace of Mind:
The directive can reassure family members that your loved one’s healthcare preferences were followed, which can help bring closure and reduce potential guilt or conflict about the care decisions made during their incapacitation. - Supporting Estate or Legal Matters:
In some cases, the directive might provide clarity for legal and estate matters, particularly if it addresses healthcare expenses or funeral arrangements.
Although it’s not legally binding after death, an advanced medical directive can still serve an important role in honoring your loved one’s wishes and providing peace to surviving family members.
Living Will:
If your loved one is incapacitated and has a living will, follow these steps to ensure their wishes regarding medical treatment are respected:
- Present the Living Will to Healthcare Providers:
Give the living will to the attending doctors or hospital staff. This legal document outlines your loved one’s preferences for medical treatment, particularly in situations like life support, resuscitation, or artificial feeding. - Act According to the Living Will:
If you’re designated as the healthcare proxy or if the living will provides clear instructions, ensure that all decisions reflect the expressed wishes. The living will typically outlines preferences for care if the individual is in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious. - Communicate with Medical Staff:
Engage with the healthcare team to ensure they understand and follow the living will. You may need to advocate for your loved one’s wishes, especially if certain treatments or interventions conflict with what is outlined in the will. - Maintain Accessibility and Documentation:
Keep the living will readily available and ensure that all relevant parties, including family members, are aware of its existence. This helps prevent confusion or conflicts over treatment decisions. - Legal Assistance if Necessary:
If healthcare providers or family members challenge the living will, you may need to seek legal assistance to enforce it. The document is legally binding and should be respected by the medical team.
By ensuring the living will is followed, you can help honor your loved one’s preferences during a difficult time.
What if my Loved One has already passed away? Is there value to the Living Will?
Once your loved one passes away, a living will typically no longer has legal value, as its primary purpose is to guide healthcare decisions while they are still alive but incapacitated. However, there are still a few ways it can be valuable after death:
- Clarifying End-of-Life Wishes:
If the living will includes instructions related to post-death matters—such as organ donation, autopsy requests, or preferences for handling the body—it can help guide the family and medical staff in honoring those wishes. - Providing Closure for Family:
Knowing that your loved one’s end-of-life preferences were followed can offer peace of mind to surviving family members, reducing potential conflicts and feelings of guilt regarding difficult decisions made during their care. - Supporting Legal or Estate Processes:
In some cases, aspects of the living will may support the resolution of estate issues, particularly if it addressed healthcare-related expenses or specific wishes about final arrangements.
While a living will is not typically used after death, it can still provide emotional and practical guidance to ensure your loved one’s final wishes are respected.
POLST:
A POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) document is a medical order that outlines specific treatments a seriously ill or frail individual wants or doesn’t want in an emergency situation. It is typically used for individuals with advanced illnesses or nearing the end of life. Unlike a living will or advanced medical directive, the POLST is a physician-signed document and is intended to be followed by healthcare providers in real-time.
How to Use a POLST Document If Your Loved One Is Incapacitated:
- Present the POLST to Medical Providers Immediately:
If your loved one is incapacitated and unable to communicate, present the POLST to doctors, paramedics, or emergency responders. The document provides clear medical orders, such as whether to administer CPR, use a ventilator, or provide artificial nutrition. - Ensure the POLST is Followed:
The POLST is legally binding and must be followed by medical professionals. It provides detailed, actionable instructions for treatment preferences in situations where life-sustaining measures are necessary. - Advocate for Your Loved One’s Wishes:
As a caregiver or family member, you may need to ensure that the medical staff adheres to the POLST orders. This is especially important in high-stress or emergency situations when decisions need to be made quickly. - Keep the Document Accessible:
Store the POLST document in an easily accessible location (e.g., on the refrigerator or in a medical alert system) so it can be quickly presented to healthcare workers during an emergency.
How to Use a POLST Document After Your Loved One Has Passed Away:
- Confirm Post-Death Wishes:
Although the POLST primarily deals with medical treatments during life, it may also include information about organ donation or other final arrangements. Ensure that any preferences outlined in the document related to post-death care are respected. - Provide the POLST to Authorities or Funeral Services:
While the POLST is generally used for medical decisions while your loved one is alive, certain instructions—like a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order—may still guide actions taken immediately following death. Ensure that healthcare providers and funeral services are aware of any relevant details. - Reassurance for Family:
The POLST can offer peace of mind for surviving family members, knowing that the individual’s healthcare and end-of-life wishes were clearly communicated and honored during their final days.
Key Difference Between POLST and Other Documents:
Unlike a living will or advanced directive, which are more general, the POLST is specific to the individual’s current health situation and is actionable immediately by healthcare providers. It is also signed by a physician, making it a medical order rather than just a statement of wishes.
DNR:
A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) document is a legal order that instructs healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a person’s heart stops or if they stop breathing. This document is typically used for individuals who, due to terminal illness or advanced age, choose to decline life-sustaining interventions like CPR.
How to Use a DNR Document If Your Loved One Is Incapacitated:
- Present the DNR to Healthcare Providers Immediately:
If your loved one is incapacitated and experiencing a medical emergency where resuscitation may be considered, provide the DNR to doctors, paramedics, or hospital staff. This ensures that no resuscitation efforts (like CPR, defibrillation, or intubation) will be initiated in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. - Keep the DNR Accessible:
DNR orders should be readily available, especially in emergency situations. For individuals at home, it’s common to keep the document in a visible place, such as on the refrigerator or in a medical alert system. Emergency personnel will look for the DNR when they arrive. - Advocate for the DNR:
If there is confusion or hesitation from healthcare providers, you may need to advocate for your loved one’s wishes as outlined in the DNR. Make sure that the healthcare team is aware of the document to avoid unwanted resuscitation attempts.
How to Use a DNR Document If Your Loved One Has Passed Away:
- Confirm Death Without Resuscitation:
If your loved one passes away and has a DNR, the document ensures that no resuscitative measures (such as CPR) will be performed. Healthcare professionals will confirm the passing without any attempts to revive the individual, following the DNR instructions. - Inform Authorities or Funeral Services:
After death, the DNR serves as confirmation that no resuscitation was desired. While the DNR itself does not affect post-death procedures, like the involvement of the coroner or funeral services, it can be helpful to have it on hand when dealing with medical personnel or authorities. - Provide Peace of Mind for Family:
The DNR can offer comfort to family members, as it confirms that the person’s end-of-life wishes were respected, particularly in choosing a natural death without aggressive medical intervention.
Other:
There are other Items that were recommended for the Medical Plan Box such as a Legal Service or Medical Advisor, Safety Deposit Box details, Medical Care Records, etc. If your Loved One added any of those Items, then you should be able to assess their value within your circumstances. If you need any help, we recommend that you contact a legal and/or medical professional for formal recommendations.