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Advance Directives
in Nebraska
Until end of life decision-making in advance becomes
the norm, a majority of Nebraskans at the end of life are
at risk for receiving treatment that they do not want — treatment
that takes them out of the familiar and comfortable surroundings
of their own homes (where two thirds would prefer to die),
treatment that isolates them from families and friends,
and treatment which often both increases pain and reduces
personal dignity.
A 2004 statewide survey revealed that 96% of Nebraskans
say that they do not wish to be on life support machines
simply to prolong an inevitable death. Unfortunately, 66%
lack the legal documentation (health care power of attorney
or a living will) to ensure that their wishes are respected.
As
attorneys, you are uniquely positioned to encourage your
clients to complete an advance directive. Certainly seniors
are the most obvious candidates, however the Terry Schiavo
and Nancy Cruzan cases show us that even young people can
find themselves in situations that are indeed worse than
death. All it takes is a simple car accident and any one
of us, no matter our age, could be in a situation tomorrow,
where we wind up in a vegetative state, unable to speak,
and leaving our families the tortuous task of guessing about
our wishes, and perhaps having to fight the legal system
to be ensure that those wishes are followed.
Contrary to popular
belief, 90% of Nebraskans are willing to talk about dying.
Death is no longer the taboo subject it once was. Below are
resources to help you and your clients broach this subject
and work together to assure that the documentation is in
place (copies given to family, physicians and attorneys)
so their wishes will be respected.
Resources
- Check out the Important
Decisions section of our website. From there
you can read articles
about defining quality of life, making choices regarding
health care and starting the conversation.
- Caring
Conversations is a consumer education initiative
that helps individuals and their families share meaningful
conversation while making practical preparations
for end of life decisions. The downloadable booklet
was put together by the Center for Practical Bioethics
and is available in both English and Spanish.
- Talking
about Your Choices is a downloadable guide
for talking about end of life decisions.
Produced by Partnership
for Caring, this group also offers live chats,
moderated discussions and opportunities to participate
in advance care planning advocacy activities on the
national level.
- Consumer's
Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning.
This is a very thorough, yet readable, set of articles
developed by the American Bar Association to help
consumers prepare an Advance Directive.
Tool 1: How to Select Your Health Care Agent or Proxy
Tool 2: Are Some Conditions Worse Than Death?
Tool 3: How Do You Weigh Odds of Survival?
Tool 4: Personal Priorities and Spiritual Values Important to Your Medical
Decisions
Tool 5: After Death Decisions to Think About Now
Tool 6: Conversation Scripts: Getting Past the Resistance
Tool 7: "Proxy IQ Test" for Family or Physician
Tool 8: What to Do After Signing Your Health Care Advance Directive
Tool 9: Guide for Health Care Proxies
Tool 10: Resources for Advance Planning for Health Care
Please Note: Grand Island Coalition for End of Life
Care does not specifically endorse these resources, but
offers them as a sample of the kinds of materials and
services that are available. |
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