Advanced Health Care Directives
As medical technologies evolve and assume greater importance in health care, individuals are confronted by situations that involve difficult medical decisions. One important aspect of medical ethics is autonomy; allowing the patient to make informed decisions on their own. An advanced health care directive allows individuals to make decisions in advance if they are unable to speak for themselves. Informed consent requires that the patient is competent, understands the treatment [...]
Prepare for Your Care
Talking about medical wishes is not easy. Medical terms and conditions are sometimes difficult to understand, loved ones become emotional, and navigating the health care system is complex. Prepare for Your Care (PREPARE) is an easy to use website that uses videos and stories to teach people how to identify their values and goals for medical care. PREPARE covers considerations in choosing a medical decision maker, how to decide what [...]
California End of Life Option Act
What You Should Know About California’s End of Life Options Act By Michael E Pacheco As our health care landscape evolves, legislation of medical decisions assumes an increasingly more significant role for individuals and families confronted by life threatening illness. On October 5, 2015, former Governor Jerry Brown signed the California End of Life Option Act; the law grants adults with a life-threatening illness access to aid-in-dying medication. This action [...]
Writing a Legacy Will
While almost everyone is familiar with the legal document of a will, legacy wills are not as well known. A legacy will is a bequeathing of a personal non-financial heritage. They are not a legal document, and there is no standard way of writing one. Although most are written, they can also be passed down through song, a painting, or other forms of artistic expression. The first clear record [...]