This Is The Conversation of a Lifetime
Throughout our lifetime, we plan for many things. We make grocery lists. We mark appointments and deadlines on our calendars. We buy houses. We welcome children. We make career changes. We plan for retirement. But many of us never think about our end-of-life wishes, much less have a conversation about it.
Document Your Wishes
Begin the conversation of a lifetime today and document your wishes. Don’t wait!
A life well-lived can also be a life well-ended, especially when personal end-of-life wishes are combined with a plan that documents them. Making decisions ahead of time and putting them in writing can bring peace of mind to patients and their loved ones. This important practice helps avoid the often difficult situation when a patient is ill and loved ones are left to guess what the plan should be.
Under state laws, every adult has the right to make decisions about medical care even if a patient is unable to communicate after becoming ill or injured. These laws allow for patient rights and personal wishes to be respected, even if patients are too sick to make decisions for themselves.
Advance directives empower patients by documenting their end-of-life wishes. Two advance directive forms are provided here. If you have questions about which is best for you, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you. You are not required to have an advance directive, but if you do, be sure that your doctor, family and friends know where it is located.
If You Live In Florida
Five Wishes is one of the most popular and user-friendly advance directives in the United States. This 12-page document meets the legal requirements in 42 states, including Florida. In addition to medical wishes, it covers important personal, emotional and spiritual matters. “Five Wishes” is a trademark of Aging with Dignity.
If You Live In Alabama
The Alabama Advance Directive for Health Care – Living Will and Health Care Proxy form may be used in the state of Alabama to make your wishes known regarding the medical treatment or othhttps://choosecovenant.org/document.doc?x52192er care you would or would not want if you become too sick to speak for yourself.
More Resources
Final Wishes, a guidebook of important details and information produced by Covenant Care, is another useful resource. The guidebook helps families plan ahead with their loved one’s input. This makes the difficult days after a death less chaotic.
The guide offers:
- A checklist of steps to take after a loved one dies
- A list of documents to keep on file
- Instructions on planning a funeral or memorial service
- Advice on obtaining various benefits, such as Social Security, veteran’s benefits, insurance, retirement and pension.
- A place to list who should be contacted for legal and financial assistance
Education
If you would like additional information about advance directives or want to schedule a representative to speak to your organization, please call 1-855-CARE-365.
Organ Donation
Covenant Care respects the wishes of our patients to give the gift of life to others with organ donation. Our staff will work to honor these wishes. For information about organ donation, visit Donate Life Florida or Alabama Organ Center.
