HEALTHY LIVI NG Advanced care planning is important Dr. RUSS GRANICH THE HOSPITAL OF CENTRAL CONNECTICUT Health issues can begin to surface at any age, but are certainly more prominent as people advance into their later years. Those health issues can leave the patient and their family with difficult decisions to make – depending on the severity of a disease or illness. People plan for all types of things throughout their lives, whether it’s their career, getting married, having kids and many other things. However, as people get older, they really have no plans in terms of what their care should look like in the event they become sick or can no longer make decisions for themselves. Granich says people should consider advanced care planning – looking ahead to their future health and making decisions that are right for them and their family. People are living longer and therefore it’s important for people to plan ahead.People have a right to choose what’s important to them and what’s not.” One part of advanced care planning is an advance directive. This document allows someone to name a person who can make medical decisions for them in the event they are badly injured or seriously ill and cannot make those decisions on their own. A living will often accompany an advance directive and details to your family the kind of treatments you do and do not want to receive in the event you can no longer speak on your behalf. This can include resuscitation, being on a ventilator, feeding tube, and other means of keeping a person alive. These documents can be shared with your doctor and placed within your medical file in the event a doctor needs to review them. All adults should have someone whom you trust to make decisions for you in the event something happens by completing an advance directive. As you approach your senior years or start to develop a chronic illness, that’s when you should probably start thinking about a living will. Palliative care is also part of the advance care planning process and additionally helps provide relief of symptoms related to a serious illness. Palliative care helps patients and their families understand treatment plans, reduce the number of hospital visits, control pain and improve a person’s quality of life. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, People are living longer and therefore it’s important for people to plan ahead. and COPD are just some of the diagnoses that can benefit from palliative care. We have a team of doctors and nurses who work with your regular doctor to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is appropriate for any person at any age who is at any stage of a serious disease or illness. I will be holding a free community education event that is virtual and free to the public on Tuesday, Nov. 2 from 12 to 1 p.m. about the importance of advance care planning. Participants will be allowed to ask questions. Metro News Service To enroll, call 855.442.4373 or visit www.hartfordhealthcare.org/ virtualclasses Dr. Russ Granich is the Regional Medical Director for The Hospital of Central Connecticut and MidState Medical Center. For more information, call 860.224.5463 or visit https://thocc.org/services/palliativecare. November 2021 • Connecticut PRIME TIME B9
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