Living Wills & Advance Directives

 

What is an advance directive?

Why do I need an advance directive?

Will I need an advance directive to enroll in hospice?

What laws govern the use of advance directives?

What is a living will?

What is a DNR?

Can I get hospice care without a DNR order?

Will CPR be performed automatically should my heart and/or breathing stop?

 

What is an advance directive?

An advance directive is a written instruction, in a form recognized by state law, that speaks to the provision of health care should a patient be unable to communicate wishes.

 

Why do I need an advance directive?

Advance directives give you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your advance directives will not be used and you can accept or refuse any medical treatment. However, should you become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your own treatment, and this is where your advance directives speak on your behalf.

 

Will I need an advance directive to enroll in hospice?

No. An advance directive helps inform your family, physician and the hospice team of the kind of care you would want if you were no longer able to decide for yourself.

 

What laws govern the use of advance directives?

Federal and state laws govern the use of advance directives. The federal law, the Patient Self-Determination Act, requires health care facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare funds to inform patients of their rights to execute advance directives. The State of Ohio also recognizes the use of advance directives

 

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What is a living will?

A living will is a document that specifies what life-saving and life-sustaining care a person wants and does not want to receive if the person becomes permanently unconscious and/or and terminally ill.

 

What is a DNR?

A DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Order is a legal document, signed by a physician which informs other caregivers that the patient does not want cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the heart and/or breathing stops.

 

Can I get hospice care without a DNR order?

Yes. A a patient can receive hospice care without a DNR order. Hospice patients are encouraged, however, to get a DNR, order from their physician or the hospice as soon as possible after admission, if that is their wish. Having a DNR order makes it clear to the family and professional caregivers that the patient does not seek to extend life through artificial means.

 

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Will CPR be performed automatically should my heart and/or breathing stop?

If you have a DNR stating that you wish to forego CPR, then it will not be performed. In the vast majority of cases involving patients in advanced stage illness, CPR is not successful or leaves those that are revived with painful or debilitating injuries. Each and every case is different, however, and you need to ensure your personal and religious beliefs regarding CPR are abided by when you cannot speak for yourself.

 

If you have questions about Advance Directives, please call 216.225.9181, Email, or use the contact form to schedule an initial consultation.