We found that getting copies of living will forms was easy, but getting someone to explain the effect of these forms to us has been quite another story. We called local hospital staff without success. Our lawyer told us that he knew very little about these matters and referred us to our physician, who has been too busy to talk to us at length.
Since my husband is scheduled for major surgery soon, we want to know if you have information that you could send us.
ANSWER: Public interest in "right to die" issues was heightened in 1990 after the United States Supreme Court decision in the Nancy Cruzan case affirmed the right of an individual to make end-of-life decisions in advance of the event through “advance directives.” But rather than setting a national standard, the Court gave flexibility to the states to establish the parameters within which appointed agents are able to make these decisions on behalf of a patient who is unable to express his or her wishes.
Then, prior to her death in 2005, Terri Schiavo captured our attention. Simply put, the health care decision-making process — of which end-of-life planning is a part — involves a number of complex issues that can affect not only the patient but also family members, who are oftentimes unaware that a problem even exists until there are few, if any, options available.
Next Steps: End-of-life planning
8mm
