Mental Health/Wellness Month and Advance Care Planning

Ever have a nagging feeling that wakes you up in the middle of the night? Ever feel the internal stress of
putting something off that you KNOW you need to do, but just haven’t gotten to it yet? Ever hear of a
friend or family member that suddenly found themselves in a medical emergency and there was no one
who knew what to do or what their preferences were?

Well I knew that feeling about Advance Care Planning and specifically an Advance Directive for Health
Care before I completed it. Many people think they are pretty good at planning ahead and thinking
about their loved ones. Most people do not know that Wisconsin is not a “next-of-kin” state which
means that a loved one or relative can not just step in to make decisions for them in a healthcare
emergency.

Did you know this?

Did you know that having an Advance Directive (or some people call it a Power of Attorney for health
care – same thing) means you have an advocate that can legally speak for you if you ever face an
accident, serious illness, or end-of-life situation and can’t speak for yourself? This document means
you’ve considered your preferences, choosing someone to be your agent(s), and have had conversations
with them so they know what you want. It’s actually an act of love to those who matter most to you.

What kind of preferences do I mean?

For example: What do you want to be done for you if you collapse and need Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR)? Did you know that the chances of being revived with CPR and returning to the exact same way
you were beforehand are surprisingly low? If you are resuscitated, and recover mostly, but need to live
in a nursing home or community-based residential facility long term your loved ones can’t just
automatically get your what you need?

How does this and other Advance Directive questions affect our mental health? Well, when we
anticipate something could happen but don’t take action anticipatory stress wears on us harder than if
we just took action to address the thing we’ve been avoiding. When someone needs us to make
decisions for their health care and there’s no plan in place, loved ones can doubt themselves for years
afterward as to whether they made the right decisions.

Today’s suggestion: Take excellent care of your mental health by putting your mind at ease and get
started on your Advance Directives. We make it so much easier with free classes, trained facilitators, and
special programs to help you face procrastination. Ahhh, what a relief when this is completed and your
loved ones know what to do. Maybe then, they will be inspired by your action, and they can complete
their own Advance Directive. For more info: www.fvacpp.org or call (920) 997-8412