Beginning a conversation with your loved ones about advance health care and end-of-life planning is challenging.  These conversations are often uncomfortable, and it is difficult to know how or where to begin.

Creating a standard health care directive (such as a living will or health care power of attorney) is a great place to start, but as this recent Forbes article notes, these documents often contain vague language that can be interpreted in many different ways.  To ensure that your wishes are clearly understood and respected, talk openly with your loved ones about what is most important to you.

The American Bar Association offers this user-friendly toolkit to guide you through the advance health care planning process.  The toolkit provides thought-provoking questions, conversation scripts, and helpful resources to help you discover and communicate your wishes to your loved ones.  As your values and priorities change over time, revisit the toolkit to update your advance health care plan.

Continue the conversation:  Share your thoughts, experiences, and insights on advance health care planning in the comment box below.  We look forward to hearing from you!

About the author

Brandy Chieco

brandolyn.chieco@duke.edu

Brandy oversees marketing and communications, events and special initiatives for the Office of Gift Planning. She works closely with donors who are featured in Duke Magazine, the Blueprints blog and other publications. She also works closely with development teams, schools and alumni volunteers as part of our comprehensive reunion efforts. Prior to joining the team, Brandy worked in marketing, human resources and banking. She received her B.A. degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. When she is not in the office, Brandy enjoys local theatre, exploring the diverse Durham food scene and spending quality time with her husband and son.