In observance of National Healthcare Decisions Day, Life Care Center of Hilo social service workers will provide an opportunity for members of the community to complete their advance directives Friday for free by appointment.
In observance of National Healthcare Decisions Day, Life Care Center of Hilo social service workers will provide an opportunity for members of the community to complete their advance directives Friday for free by appointment.
Completing an advance directive for health care might include naming someone to speak for the person if the person cannot speak for themselves. Situations such as accidents, major strokes or severe injury to the body can cause someone to not be able to have good judgment and might require an advance directive.
Advance directives also can include directions on how aggressively the person would like modern medicine to treat end-of-life issues. Decisions about using artificial hydration, nutrition and amount of pain medicine are important questions to have a known preference even when a person cannot speak.
Physicians Orders for Life Sustaining Treatments forms also will be available. Life Care Center of Hilo is located at 944 W. Kawailani St. Call the social services branch at 959-9151 to make an appointment.