Healthcare Directive Assistance available at CRMC
National Healthcare Decisions Day educates and empowers the public and healthcare providers to take part in important advance care planning. While advance care planning seems like a difficult discussion, the alternative leaves family members struggling to make the decision for you. Completing an advanced directive removes the burden from our loved ones.
National Healthcare Decisions Day is observed annually on April 16th and Cuyuna Regional Medical Center is optimizing the event by encouraging everyone to make their healthcare wishes known to their family members and physician and to go through an advanced care planning process. The observation is aimed at increasing the number of people who have completed an advance directive (“living will”), in which they name the person who will make medical decisions for them in the event they are seriously ill and can’t speak for themselves.
CRMC staff and advance directive forms will be available in CRMC’s main entrance lobby from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 11 and 12. CRMC’s facilitators will answer questions and discuss how to start the discussion with those close to you, determining wishes for end-of-life care and who you want to make medical care decisions. No appointment is necessary.
“It’s understandable that people would put off discussing the topic of serious illness and death, but it’s essential to have this family conversation in advance,” CRMC Social Worker KariLee Pietz said. “It’s a discussion that should take place in the living room, not in the hospital waiting room when it may be too late.”
Call 218-546-2357 to speak with a CRMC social worker and schedule an appointment during other times.
Advance Care Directive forms are also available at: https://www.lightthelegacy.org/health-care-directive-downloads/
To update or drop off a completed document, contact Stephanie Miller at 218-546-7000, ext. 2551, or send her a message at Stephanie.Miller@cuyunamed.org.