Planning for Uncertainty: A Guide to Living Wills and Other Advance Directives for Health Care

Most of us are uncomfortable with thoughts of our own death or serious illness and so we put off decisions we ought to make when we're healthy, when we can spend time thinking about our values and preferences. Planning for Uncertainty tells you why it is important to think carefully about the final details of your life and to plan for the possibility that you won't be able to make your wishes known. As family physicians, the authors of Planning for Uncertainty have seen what happens when a person lacks any kind of advance directive for health care, becomes seriously ill or injured, and loses the capacity to express preferences and make decisions about health care. The result can be great anguish for families and needless suffering for patients.
 Planning for Uncertainty uses a question-and-answer format to explain what you need to know about advance directives the living will, the durable power of attorney, and the values history. All are intended to clearly document your preferences and decisions about life-sustaining health care, a practice strongly encouraged by the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990. The authors explain a broad range of medical choices, tell why and how to prepare advance directives, and explore ethical issues such as active euthanasia, assisted suicide, and passive euthanasia. Topics include
• The types and purposes of advance directives for health care
• The provisions of the Patient Self-Determination Act
• Deciding when medical treatment is beneficial and when is it futile
• How ethical principles affect health care decisions
• The legal significance of the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care
• Writing a "Values History" to outline your health care preferences
• Involving your family, your physician, and others
With sample documents and a wealth of practical information, Planning for Uncertainty enables you to prepare for the possibility that some day you may be unable to communicate your health care decisions. It allows you to spare your family the difficult task of deciding for you and to spare yourself from futile medical procedures. Here is a comprehensive and reliable resource for everyone who wants to learn more about advance directives, including health care professionals, retirement counselors, and family legal advisers.

Doukas, David John

Reichel, William

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Johns Hopkins University Press

Explains how to assess the many domains of life that impact the well being of the elderly in primary care settings, including mental status, functional, social, patient values and directives concerning long-term and end-of-life care, economic, physical, and health maintenance and disability prevention. Of interest to physicians, nurses, social workers, and others who deal directly with the elderly, and professionals setting up or managing a geriatric assessment unit in a large institution. Revised to incorporate comments on the first edition (date not noted) and new insights from the authors' continuing practice. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Handbook of Geriatric Assessment

Medical Books

Andersen, Lillian M.

Gallo, Joseph J.

Nursing

ASPEN PUB.

...completely revised and updated, presenting assessment and evaluation technology used by health-care professionals, social workers, and researchers working with a wide variety of elderly populations.

Fulmer, Terry

Paveza, Gregory J.

Medicine

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