To the editor:
Given the current health care crisis, now is the time for readers — regardless of age or current health status — to consider planning in advance for their end-of-life care.
While it is uncomfortable to think about end-of-life issues, it’s critical to complete an advance directive and appoint a medical decision-maker (health care proxy) to direct health care providers to honor your specific choices for end-of-life care, if you cannot speak for yourself.
It is not necessary to hire a professional or spend any money to help you with this planning. Fortunately, Compassion & Choices — a nonprofit, end-of-life care advocacy organization — has a free online COVID-19 toolkit available at CompassionAndChoices.org, as well as free online webinars to help you understand your end-of-life care options.
Marion Novack