Case Study: End of Life Decisions

Case Study: End of Life Decisions

George is a successful attorney in his mid-fifties. He is also a legal scholar, holding a teaching post at the local university law school in Oregon. George is also actively involved in his teenage son’s basketball league, coaching regularly for their team. Recently, George has experienced muscle weakness and unresponsive muscle coordination. He was forced to seek medical attention after he fell and injured his hip. After an examination at the local hospital following his fall, the attending physician suspected that George may be showing early symptoms for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The week following the initial examination, further testing revealed a positive diagnosis of ALS.

ALS is progressive and gradually causes motor neuron deterioration and muscle atrophy to the point of complete muscle control loss. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the median life expectancy is between 3 and 4 years, though it is not uncommon for some to live 10 or more years. The progressive muscle atrophy and deterioration of motor neurons leads to the loss of the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. However, sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell are not affected. Patients will be wheelchair bound and eventually need permanent ventilator support to assist with breathing.

George and his family are devastated by the diagnosis. George knows that treatment options only attempt to slow down the degeneration, but the symptoms will eventually come. He will eventually be wheelchair bound and be unable to move, eat, speak, or even breathe on his own.

In contemplating his future life with ALS, George begins to dread the prospect of losing his mobility and even speech. He imagines his life in complete dependence upon others for basic everyday functions and perceives the possibility of eventually degenerating to the point at which he is a prisoner in his own body. Would he be willing to undergo such torture, such loss of his own dignity and power? George thus begins inquiring about the possibility of voluntary euthanasia.

 

 

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End of Life Decisions

Introduction

The end of life is a difficult topic. It’s one that can bring up emotions and make people think about their own mortality. But it’s also important to consider the wishes of loved ones and those who care for them when making decisions about treatment options at the end of life. Here are some steps you can take to make sure that your medical care is handled in the best possible way if something were to happen:

A DNR

A DNR stands for Do Not Resuscitate. It’s a medical order that tells medical personnel not to attempt CPR if your heart stops beating.

You can have a DNR order without having a Living Will, but it’s important to note that they are very different documents. A Living Will directs who should make decisions regarding your care if you become unable to do so yourself and states whether or not you want life-saving measures taken in any condition of loss of consciousness or incapacity following injury or illness. A DNR simply tells doctors not to try something—like give up —when the patient does not want them doing so (and this doesn’t include artificial means such as ventilation).

A Living Will

A living will is a legal document that states who you want to make decisions about your health care and death if you can’t do so yourself. It’s like an advance directive, but it includes a specific time frame in which your wishes should be carried out. Living wills are often used by people who have terminal illnesses or who are terminally ill with severe disabilities and are unable to communicate their wishes due to their condition.

If you’re interested in writing one, check out our article on How To Create A Living Will With Free Online Software!

An Advanced Directive for Health Care

A living will is a document that outlines your wishes for medical care in the event that you become incapacitated. This can be done before or after death, but it should be completed in advance of any serious illness or injury. Because they are not legally binding and do not have to be signed by anyone, living wills are often referred to as “advance directives.”

A living will may also be called an “advance directive,” which refers to any kind of directive other than a will (such as enduring power of attorney). An alternative name for this type of document is “living wish.” Living Wills, Powers of Attorney & Durable Medical Equipment: What You Need To Know About Your Rights In California provides more information about these documents and how they work under state law.[1]

A Patient Advocate Form

A patient advocate form is a document that allows you to appoint a person to serve as your health care proxy or surrogate decision maker in the event of your death. It’s important to have one because it ensures that your wishes are carried out, regardless of whether or not you have an advance directive.

There are several types of patient advocate forms: durable power of attorney for health care (DPOA), living will and/or mind-altering drug authorization; with DPOAs being the most common choice among patients who want someone else involved in their end-of-life decisions but aren’t ready for full power over their own affairs yet.

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

A durable power of attorney for health care allows you to name someone to make medical decisions on your behalf, if you are unable to do so. This document can be used in conjunction with a living will and/or instructions for artificial nutrition and hydration. The durable power of attorney for health care is an important part of advance planning because it gives loved ones some direction about what they should do if one day happens when it would not be possible for them to help out in any way.

Consider making end-of-life decisions before you need them

The concept of an “end-of-life decision” is simple: it’s an action you take to prepare for the possibility that you won’t be able to make decisions on your own in the future. A good way to think about this is like buying life insurance: it’s important because there are times when we might not be able to make decisions ourselves, or may not remember things that we need or want done by someone else (for example, having surgery). Having advance directive documents ensures that your wishes will be followed in case something happens before then.

The best way to have these documents written down is with a legal document called an advanced directive which sets out what kind of healthcare treatment should be given if any medical situation arises during one’s lifetime; how those treatments would affect their quality of life; and whether they want artificial nutrition or hydration after death occurs. You can also appoint someone else as agent so they can act on behalf of yourself during times when physical abilities aren’t available anymore (elderly people who live alone may want this option).

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you understand the importance of making end-of-life decisions for yourself and your loved ones. If you have any questions about end-of-life care, please contact a trusted health care provider or attorney.