National Health Care Decisions Day (NHDD) is observed each year raise awareness about the value of advance health care planning and the documentation of one’s wishes for end-of-life-care. This year, NHDD will be a week-long event, observed from Sunday, April 16 – Saturday, April 22.
NHDD is a nationwide initiative to encourage patients — and all members of our communities — to express their wishes regarding health care and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be. The theme for 2017 awareness event is “It Always Seems Too Early, Until It’s Too Late.”
An Advance Directive is a document that designates someone to make health care decisions on your behalf should you become unable to voice your own wishes. These directives also document the kind of care you DO or DO NOT want in certain circumstances. Examples of Advance Directives include:
- Medical Power of Attorney
- Living Will
- Declaration of Health Care Agent
- The Five Wishes
- Durable Medical Power of Attorney
- The Maryland Advance Directive
Additional information about National Health Care Decisions Day can be found by clicking here. To learn more about the importance of advance health care planning, or to establish your own advance health care plan, contact one of the UM Shore Regional Health social workers, located at various inpatient and outpatient facilities throughout the region.