Without discussing such matters and putting them in writing, there can be problems if a dying person becomes unable to make his or her own decisions. A document professing the dying person’s decisions about end-of-life care, like a Living Will or Advance Directive, is recommended to avoid any confusion among physicians or family members.
2. Your Wishes and Fears
One of the hardest things to talk about could be your wishes and concerns. However, there is never a bad time to talk with loved ones about your feelings. You might discuss how you’d like your estate to be handled and the fears you have about who can carry out those estate wishes. In addition, you may consider talking about specifics about your funeral and/or burial.
It can be beneficial to discuss wishes and fears long before it is time to consider them. Usually, people don’t want to consider their end-of-life wishes or fears because it is unpleasant. However, not having a plan in the event of terminal illness or incapacitation could be even more unpleasant. While loved ones try to figure out what you’d want, their problems might have been solved if your desires had been disclosed.
1. Your Medical Decisions
Often, the biggest medical decisions people have to make for loved ones who are at the end of life are whether to resuscitate and/or utilize machines. Sometimes, people at the end of their lives require the assistance of breathing machines or feeding tubes. Frequently, the patient does not disclose the medical decisions for DNR or machine-assisted living before he or she becomes debilitated.
For example, journalist Charles Ornstein had to make those decisions for his mother and recounted his story on ProPublica. She was admitted to the hospital for nausea and vomiting; when doctors tried to introduce a nasogastric tube, her heart stopped. After resuscitation, Charles and his family were then left with the decision of whether to let their mother live with the aid of machines. It was a tough decision to make, one that no family should have to endure.