My Health – My My Health – My DecisionDecision

A class to help people who A class to help people who can make decisions be can make decisions be more involved in their more involved in their healthcare decisionshealthcare decisions

Created by:Created by:Anne Bates, Bill Hill, Kathy Lynn & P Sue Anne Bates, Bill Hill, Kathy Lynn & P Sue

KullenKullen

What Do I Need to What Do I Need to Know?Know?

1.1. How to make decisionsHow to make decisions

2.2. How to have more power How to have more power over your health care over your health care decisionsdecisions

3.3. How to pick people you How to pick people you trust to help youtrust to help you

4.4. How to plan way aheadHow to plan way ahead

I Can Make DecisionsI Can Make Decisions

Healthcare is personal, but you may Healthcare is personal, but you may feel you do not always have a say in feel you do not always have a say in what it takes to keep you healthy.what it takes to keep you healthy.

You have the power and the right to You have the power and the right to make choices about everything that make choices about everything that affects you. affects you.

You must also balance what is good You must also balance what is good for you with what you may not like.for you with what you may not like.

I Do Make DecisionsI Do Make DecisionsYou make lots of decisions You make lots of decisions

every day.every day. What time do I get up?What time do I get up? What do I have for breakfast?What do I have for breakfast? What do I wear today?What do I wear today? What do I watch on TV?What do I watch on TV?

You should also be making You should also be making decisions about your health.decisions about your health.

When should I go to my doctor?When should I go to my doctor? Should I exercise today?Should I exercise today? How often should I brush my How often should I brush my

teeth?teeth? When should I take my medicine?When should I take my medicine? Who can take me to my doctor?Who can take me to my doctor?

If you are not making these choices, talk about it with someone you trust or at you next planning meeting.

If you are not making these choices, talk about it with someone you trust or at you next planning meeting.

For Example…For Example…

Should I go to the dentist every 6 months?Should I go to the dentist every 6 months?

What may happen if I do not?What may happen if I do not?

What may happen it I do go?What may happen it I do go?

What other information do I need?What other information do I need?

Who could help me if I am scared?Who could help me if I am scared?

Can I just wait?Can I just wait?

You may not like salad or vegetables but you eat them because you know they are good for you. You may not like going to the dentist but you know that you should because you want healthy teeth. All adults make these decisions.

Making ChoicesMaking ChoicesWith all decisions, there are always With all decisions, there are always

choices to make. Let’s look at an choices to make. Let’s look at an

example of a healthcare decision to example of a healthcare decision to

find out what the choices are.find out what the choices are.

The next 2 slides will show you a good The next 2 slides will show you a good

map to use.map to use.

Wait?Wait?

NO

Who can help?

What may happen if I do? What may happen if I don’t?

BIG DECISIONYES

•I will have clean healthy teeth

•I may feel better•It may hurt•I feel out of control•I feel scared•It costs money•Going every 6 months may keep my teeth from hurting!

•I will have clean healthy teeth

•I may feel better•It may hurt•I feel out of control•I feel scared•It costs money•Going every 6 months may keep my teeth from hurting!

•It will still hurt•People will hassle me•I may lose my teeth•I may have bad breath•I may get bigger problems

•It will still hurt•People will hassle me•I may lose my teeth•I may have bad breath•I may get bigger problems

Should I go to the dentist every 6

months?

Should I go to the dentist every 6

months?

What happens if I wait?

What happens if I wait?

NO

Who can help?

What may happen if I do? What may happen if I don’t?

BIG DECISION:

Family or Friends

Family or Friends

My Dentist

My Dentist

YES

I Have Power Over My I Have Power Over My Healthcare DecisionsHealthcare Decisions

You are an adult and responsible You are an adult and responsible for yourself.for yourself.

Just because you may need help to Just because you may need help to make some decisions does not make some decisions does not mean you have less rights than mean you have less rights than other people. other people.

So what needs to happen to make So what needs to happen to make sure that you are in charge?sure that you are in charge?

What Needs to Happen?What Needs to Happen?

1. Doctors (& staff) talk to me respectfully

2. Paperwork is explained before I sign

3. People respect my privacy

4. People let me know if something will hurt

5. I am given time... to ask questions...make decisions...talk to other people first

6. More than one choice is explained

7. I help to schedule my doctor visits

8. My comfort is always considered

9. I can choose to make something hard easier... have someone go with me, medicine to help me relax, or try another doctor

Know How to Use Your Know How to Use Your PowerPower

You have the right to ask for all You have the right to ask for all the things you just read. If the things you just read. If anything on that list is not anything on that list is not happening, talk to someone you happening, talk to someone you trust.trust.

It’s important to get help when you It’s important to get help when you need it. That’s being responsible.need it. That’s being responsible.

I Can Pick Someone I I Can Pick Someone I Trust to Help MeTrust to Help Me

We all need help at times. We all need help at times.

Asking other people for help Asking other people for help is good so we can get another is good so we can get another point of view.point of view.

And it’s nice to know that And it’s nice to know that people care about us!people care about us!

How Do I Choose How Do I Choose Someone?Someone?

Think about the people you know and Think about the people you know and trust the most.trust the most.

Some people you trust with your secretsSome people you trust with your secrets

Some people you trust to help or guide Some people you trust to help or guide youyou

There are even people you may trust There are even people you may trust to make decisions for you.to make decisions for you.

Not everyone can make healthcare Not everyone can make healthcare decisions for youdecisions for you

Who Can I Choose?Who Can I Choose? When you choose someone to make When you choose someone to make

healthcare decisions for you, they are healthcare decisions for you, they are called your called your Health Care AgentHealth Care Agent A Health Care Agent can make choices A Health Care Agent can make choices

that are too hard for you, or when you are that are too hard for you, or when you are too sick to make themtoo sick to make them

Your Health Care Agent should be:Your Health Care Agent should be: A family memberA family member

A friend who knows you and can help you A friend who knows you and can help you to better understand the decisionto better understand the decision

Not paid staffNot paid staff

How Do I Say What I How Do I Say What I Want?Want?

Your Health Care Agent can make the Your Health Care Agent can make the decisions you decide they should makedecisions you decide they should make Like if you will have surgery or notLike if you will have surgery or not

Or they can make all of your decisions with youOr they can make all of your decisions with you

It is your choice and your rightIt is your choice and your right

These tools can help you and your Health These tools can help you and your Health Care Agent to decide how they will help Care Agent to decide how they will help you.you.

Five WishesFive Wishes Maryland Health Care AgentMaryland Health Care Agent

Write down the name of Write down the name of the person you trust the person you trust

and talk to them about and talk to them about this training.this training.

I Can Plan Ahead for I Can Plan Ahead for HealthcareHealthcare

Some decisions may be hard to Some decisions may be hard to think about… think about… but if you are too sick to say but if you are too sick to say what you want, it may be what you want, it may be better to plan than to have better to plan than to have people guess what you might people guess what you might wantwant

Some Questions to Some Questions to Think AboutThink About

Who would you like to make Who would you like to make decisions if you are too sick to make decisions if you are too sick to make them?them?

Is there a hospital you prefer?Is there a hospital you prefer?

Who do you want called if you go to Who do you want called if you go to the hospital?the hospital?

Would you want visitors, or would Would you want visitors, or would you rather have quiet?you rather have quiet?

Are there things you would want with you Are there things you would want with you in the hospital…like a special pillow or in the hospital…like a special pillow or warm socks?warm socks?

Would you want extra medicine so you do Would you want extra medicine so you do not feel pain, even if it makes you sleep not feel pain, even if it makes you sleep more?more?

Would you want to be on a machine to help Would you want to be on a machine to help you breathe if you might not wake up you breathe if you might not wake up again?again?

Would you want people to pray for you?Would you want people to pray for you?

What do you think about a nursing home?What do you think about a nursing home?

Planning ToolsPlanning Tools

There are tools for you and your There are tools for you and your Health Care Agent. Health Care Agent.

The most important thing is to let The most important thing is to let people know what you want! people know what you want!

TOOLS:TOOLS:

Five WishesFive Wishes

My WishesMy Wishes

Maryland Health Care Agent FormsMaryland Health Care Agent Forms

Final Thoughts…Final Thoughts…

Share this website with the Share this website with the people you trust to help people you trust to help you...you...

Talk with them about what Talk with them about what you’ve learnedyou’ve learned