Speak Up About Your End of Life Wishes: Ontario's Doctors

TORONTO, April 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors are helping to mark Advance Care Planning Day today by encouraging everyone to take a moment and consider their end-of-life wishes.

Advance care planning starts with thinking about your wishes, values and beliefs about the health care you would want if you were ever incapable of making decisions for yourself, and then talking about them with loved ones.

"A medical crisis is always going to be a terrible time for a family, but having simple discussions about what's important to you can reduce the stress for everyone," said Dr. Scott Wooder, president of the Ontario Medical Association.  "This ensures you get the all of medically appropriate treatment you would want and that you don't get any treatment that you wouldn't want."

Advance care planning can be as simple as:

• Learn who would be legally entitled to make decisions for you if you were incapable. You can choose any decision maker you want, and you can put it in writing at no cost. Look for Power of Attorney for Personal Care forms here and at ServiceOntario centres.
• Make sure that your substitute decision-maker knows what your values, wishes and beliefs are.

Research shows that families who have to make tough decisions for a family member feel less guilt and more confident in their decisions when they know a person's wishes instead of trying to guess.

SOURCE: Ontario Medical Association

OMA Media Relations at 416.340.2862 or toll-free at 1.800.268.7215, ext. 2862, [email protected], @OntariosDoctors