Q: I’ve decided to write an advance directive to ensure family and friends will know best how to advocate for me if and when the times comes. We have a history of dementia in our family and I’d like to know how I can be specific and plan for that possible diagnosis. Please give me some recommendations.

Planning for uncertainty and designing a specific plan to follow in the event you are unable to make your wishes known is a benefit to you and your caregivers. An advance health care directive is a legal document outlining your specific health care decisions and end of life care in the event you are unable to communicate your wishes. Making a dementia-specific advance directive would incorporate specific choices regarding health care which include quality of life, testing, end of life and medical care based on the stages of dementia. Decisions can be outlined for each stage – mild, moderate and severe. Decisions can be documented with your input regarding antibiotics, blood transfusions, respirators and feeding tubes. This approach takes the potential guilt and arguments caregivers may encounter regarding your care out of the equation. To learn more visit dementia-directive.org. Please call Freedom Home Care if you have questions and would like to speak to a case manager (507-387-4663), or check us out online at www.freedomhomecarellc.com.

Ann Cesafsky 
Licensed Social Worker
acesafsky@freedomhomecarellc.com