Why Advance Care Planning Has Become Even More Necessary Now During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

When pregnant women visit the hospital, they already have a “birth plan” in place. However, the same is not true for people when they get admitted to hospitals with an illness. We rarely have a “death plan”. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to prepare with end-of-life planning. Medical practitioners are urging people to have their advance care directives in place, or at least, in the drafting stage when they come to the hospital for admittance.

Advance directives basically consist of written instructions pertaining to your care, which let your medical and familial caregivers know how you’d like your treatment to progress if you can no longer speak for yourself. For example, a living will is a kind of advanced care directive. Appointing your power of attorney is also in line with advanced care planning.

The culture and society we live in traditionally practices denial of our impending death. As a result, the government does not have policies in place which deliver the public with sufficient information on how to carry out end-of-life planning. Even our medical professionals are uncomfortable in broaching that discussion early into a person’s treatment.

You Can Reduce the Guilt and Trauma You Feel Later By Encouraging End of Life Planning

Aggressive medical interventions can take a toll on the patient’s family and friends. If the individual had been encouraged to participate in advanced care planning, the family would no longer have had to shoulder the responsibility of making these life-altering decisions for them. It would lessen their guilt and trauma.

The Novel Coronavirus pandemic has brought humanity to a point where we are all questioning the certainty of life. So, there is no better time than now to roll up your sleeves and dig deep into how you’d like to be put to rest when your days are numbered. Advanced care planning can help you and your close ones rest easy.

Thanks for reading,

Karen