A lot has been reported about COVID-related deaths in the past year. The numbers are horrific and few have been untouched by this pandemic. Other causes of death have taken a back seat during this time.
But just because you don't hear about them daily, it does not mean they have stopped occurring. Or that those that are left behind are not mourning those they’ve lost.
In the past two years alone, I have lost several family members and friends to deaths unrelated to COVID. It is the season of goodbyes for my generation. As understandable as this is, it does not make the goodbyes any less painful.
Not everyone has a choice on how or when these goodbyes will take place. In a perfect world, we would pass peacefully in our sleep surrounded by loved ones. The reality, however, can be a different story altogether, as we learned during the closure of visiting privileges for nursing homes and hospitals during the COVID Pandemic.
Few of us would choose to die alone, in a sterile environment, over being surrounded by our loved ones. COVID aside, planning for final days is imperative if you want to have a say in your final hours.
Funeral arrangements, wills, and possible organ donor wishes must be shared with those left behind. But there are other considerations that are just as important and often overlooked.
Important Legal Forms:
For instance, do you have:
Powers of attorney end with your life. Do you have an executor named to step in when the power of attorney ends?
And if you have a terminal illness, have you considered whether you want palliative care, hospice or a Death with Dignity choice? Your physician can provide you with information to help with these decisions and in some cases where to get the forms. Others can be found for free on the internet.
Not as much is known about the fairly new law, available to all ages, called the Washington Death with Dignity Law.
The Law
The Washington Death with Dignity Act, Initiative 1000, codified as Chapter 70.245 RCW, passed on November 4, 2008 and went into effect on March 5, 2009. This act allows terminally ill adults seeking to end their life to request lethal doses of medication from medical and osteopathic physicians. These terminally ill patients must be Washington residents who have less than six months to live.
End-of-Life Resources
You can find information about end-of-life care for patients and families on the Washington State Hospital Association and End of Life Washington websites.
Additional information regarding Physician's Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST), Advanced Directives, and other end-of-life resources is on the Washington State Medical Association's website.
Be prepared. None of us knows when tomorrow won’t come.
Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia. Contact her at kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comment below.
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