April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), the day when Americans are encouraged to talk to their loved ones and friends about what matters most to them when it comes to end-of-life care. With NHDD activities planned all over the country, April is a great time to start the conversation. In recognition of NHDD, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association provides terms every adult should know.

• Advance Care Planning (ACP)– A process for identifying wishes for future medical care should a person become unable to speak for him/herself. The critical task in advance care planning is to clarify values and goals as a guideline for others to follow, rather than trying to address every possible medical situation. It requires conversations with loved ones, key healthcare providers, and anyone else who may be involved in future decision-making. It can begin at any point in a person’s life, regardless of current health status. Ideally, these wishes are documented in an advance directive, recorded in the medical record, revisited periodically, and become more specific as the person’s health changes.

• Advance Directive - A general term for any document in which you provide instructions about your healthcare wishes or appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for you should you become unable to make decisions for yourself. Living wills and healthcare representatives are both types of advance directives. They are signed in "advance" and shared with your healthcare representative, loved ones, and healthcare professionals. These documents and preferences may be changed or cancelled at any time either verbally or in writing.

• Healthcare Representative - A type of advance directive in which you appoint someone to make medical decisions for you if you should become unable to make them for yourself. The person you name is called your representative, and may also be referred to as your agent, proxy, or durable power of attorney for healthcare.

• Living Will - A type of advance directive in which you state your wishes for the types of medical care you want or don’t want should you become unable to speak for yourself. Generally, living wills address one’s preferences about end-of-life medical treatments, but they can also communicate your wishes, values, or goals about any other aspect of your care and treatment.

Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) is a nonprofit public charity that has joined national, state, and community efforts to increase the quality of life for seriously ill persons, their loved ones, their caregivers, and the healthcare community in Putnam County. PCHPCA operates with support from charitable donations and grants, and is partially supported by The Putnam County Community Foundation and the Putnam County Hospital.   For additional information, contact Elaine Peck, Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.pchpca.org.