Hospice of Dayton, along with other national, state and community organizations, is involved in leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). As a participating organization, Hospice of Dayton is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with Ohio state laws.

“As part of National Healthcare Decisions Day, we want to encourage many more people in our community to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Dr. Ruth Thomson, Chief Medical Officer at Hospice of Dayton. “Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from their loved ones, and healthcare providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis, and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”

Hospice of Dayton offers advance directive forms on this website at www.hospiceofdayton.org/main/need-help/advanced-directives/