Advanced Directive Workshop

Advance care planning includes completing an advance directive, sometimes known as a living will. It also includes appointing a healthcare power of attorney, which is someone designated to make healthcare decisions on your behalf when you are no longer able to. Completing this task is even more important in the state of Vermont, as it is not automatically your next of kin (spouse, parent, adult sibling, etc.) who can make decisions if you are unable to speak for yourself. Once you have completed your advance directive, do not lock it away in a desk or safe; share it with family members and providers who may need to access it. You can also submit copies to the Vermont Advance Directive Registry to be accessed by authorized health care facilities and providers when needed. Revisiting your documents is an extremely important step because as time goes by, we change, and potentially our healthcare choices may as well. A good habit would be to review every year on National Healthcare Decisions Day. Another approach would be to consider the “5 D’s” as times when your advance directive may need to be changed or updated. The “5 D’s” are: Decade birthday, Diagnosis, Deterioration, Divorce or Death of someone close to you or that affects you. All of these events may affect how you think about future health care decisions for yourself. Who facilitates it? Nicole DeNoyers Sign up: 802-438-8111 nicole.denoyers@vnahsr.org