The Importance of Having An Advance Directive: 

No one ever knows for sure when an advanced directive would be needed, so it is important to always be prepared. 

An Advance Directive is a document which states what your wishes would be in the event that you require life support of life-sustaining treatment and were unable to verbalize them.  Would you want to be tube fed, have IV's, be kept alive on a ventilator or respirator, have antibiotic treatment for an infection if terminally ill or in a persistent unconscious state?  Does your family and/or doctor know what your wishes are?  Do you?

These are hard decisions to make and even harder for some to discuss.  But, think how hard it would be if your loved one that to make that kind of decision without any direction from you.  There are many documents available out there to use: Durable Power of Attorney, Directive to Physician, a Living Will, to name a few.  You can obtain these documents by contacting your physician, an attorney, health care provider, or local bookstores. 

Read the documents over, ask questions of your physician or health care provider, your clergy person, your family and/or friends.  But the final decisions should be based on your wishes, so be as specific as you feel you need to be.

For additional information, contact Bethany of the Northwest's Corporate Office, telephone (425) 259-5508; fax (425) 258-5656 or e-mail to barbarah@bethanynw.org