The Colorado Legislature again this session failed to advance end-of-life power of control to residents. That cautious and narrow right, which in its more recent form would have given those deemed within six months of death to state orally and in writing to two doctors that they wished to be able to self-administer an end-of-life mix, did not advance. As a result, at least one group plans to go to the voters this fall with something in the same vein, but much, much broader in scope.
The Liberty at Life’s End initiative would allow those with an incurable degenerative disease such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s to ask others to administer some type of end-of-life causing mix. Whether this would be within six months of the end of life is uncertain, as are the required communications with doctors or attorneys. But the sense is that this group wants more expansive abilities to end one’s life than those the Legislature has denied.
The effort requires gathering some 100,000 signatures from registered voters to make the November ballot. If voters approve, the language will go into Colorado’s constitution.
Whether Coloradans want that much latitude in end-of-life decision making is to be seen. Polling indicates Coloradans certainly want more than exists now, and they fault the Legislature.
In the meantime, an advance directive is a very good place to begin the assertion of end-of-life control.
This Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, the 9th annual, created to advance the awareness of the end-of-life advance directive in all 50 states. That directive, of which a living will is a part, makes it clear to family and friends, doctors and the legal community, just what life-saving end-of-life initiatives an individual desires. It should be prepared long before it is needed, when thoughtful information-gathering and conversations with all involved can take place.
This year’s NHCDD slogan is, “It’s always too early, until it’s too late.”
An advance directive has several merits. Its contents mean that family members will not anguish – nor argue – over what the patient wants in the final months or weeks or days when he may not be able to communicate or communicate consistently. Nor will there be clashes between doctors and the hospital and families.
It is a document that can be completed with the aid of an experienced advisor, probably at a health care facility, at little or no cost. The directive in somewhat different forms has been around a long time, and the language it uses has been well thought out and made comprehensible. But the key to its validity is plenty of communication with family, an attorney and a doctor, and verification those interactions took place. Tape the completed directive to the refrigerator door, but make sure that at least several people have heard or participated in shaping your wishes and have signed off on them.
Once you have a directive, should you review it every few years? Sure. But make time to complete the first one.
Industry has a knack for designating “National ...” days, but this one has real value. Most people want to make their own end-of-life health care decisions.