I spent some time lying on the lawn at dusk looking up at the sky in Central Park in New York City after taking the www.Doulagivers.com Consultant Training to be a non-medical consultant. about End of Life matters.

The information regarding End of Life decisions and paperwork, policies for medical people or responders can vary state to state as to what is required. That word Required is one that applies to many aspects of one’s care, medical issues, legal and medical aspects of our society and choices about how one lives and how one dies (and even post-mortal points such as having time for family and others to spend time with or to tend to the care of one’s deceased body in any setting and much more…)

Everyone needs to be aware of in terms of ‘what’s required to have legal coverage to make your wishes clear and acceptable in the eyes of the medical folks and the law’ if life-sustaining measures become an option for you or someone in your circles…

If you needed help eating (feeding through a tube), drinking (or hydrating through fluids being given to you when unable to drink), breathing (as in put on an artificial respirator) or even have CPR if you’re heart stopped…when would you want that done and when would you rather not have that done..

These are the kinds of issues anyone could face and need someone they have designated to decide for them (possibly without the person in need being conscious so not able to weigh in when it really matters.)

Okay that’s a lot to consider, but that’s what I’m learning about in depth (as I have studied this before over the year with workshops offered by Elder Law Attorneys, meeting with a person who helps fill out such forms at a hospital (not the doctor or medical person.)

I will share some highlights, but maybe googling the topic could help people understand the importance of having an online or on the phone or via mail or in person conversation, even briefly from time to time about these matters in general..and then putting the main points of an Advance Directive (a living will and a health care proxy or representative) on paper and getting that signed by two witnesses and notarized.

To have legally recognized forms, that information needs to be put on MOLST or a POLST, a medical order about life sustaining treatment or a physician’s orders about life sustaining treatment.

Without the legal paperwork in place (ideally with one’s doctor or hospital as well as with the proxy and back up and handy in one’s home for family, etc, one may go through many medical interventions required by the medical system to sustain life.

If one wants to be a DNR, a do not resuscitate, that order also needs to be well-understood by everyone caring for the person and have the order handy such as near or on the fridge. Without it, responders would likely also have to seek to revive or sustain life. Think twice about when 9-1-1, police or an ambulance would be called and learn your optioins in Advance…and learn a little at time steadily rather than deny the importance of all of this (even wills and such, especially if one has children whose custody would need to be determined.)