It pays to know: How to be an effective health care agent

It pays to know: How to be an effective health care agent 
The Rafu Shimpo; by Judd Matsunaga, Esq; 9/12/24 
Being asked to be someone’s health care agent is a special honor — it means the person is saying, “I trust you with my life.” That said, it’s also a huge responsibility. As a health care agent, you will be in charge of making healthcare decisions for your loved one when they can no longer make decisions for themselves. ... Advance care planning is a process. It’s not something that gets done all at once. To help you be an effective health care agent, here are some questions you can ask your loved one: (Source: www.mskcc.org, “How to Be a Health Care Agent”)

• Tell me about situations that would make you want to limit medical treatments.
• How much you are willing to go through so you can live longer?
• What are your feelings about palliative care?
• Do you want to get hospice care at the end of your life?
• What are some things that would make the end of your life most peaceful?
• What are your biggest worries or fears about the end of your life?
• [Click on the title's link for more questions to ask.]