National Healthcare Decisions Day

​​​Need Help Starting the Conversation?

1. Day One: National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) 
• April 16th marks National Healthcare Decision Day (NHDD) 
  
  
2. Day Two: Start with Yourself 
• A day to think about  your own healthcare decisions 
  
  
3. Day Three: Family, Friends, and Loved Ones ​​
   
• A day to discuss your wishes with others (and learn their wishes)​
  
  
4. Day Four: Spread the Word 
   
• A day to tell others that you've engaged in advance care planning and encourage them to
  do the same 
  
  
5. Day Five: Focusing on Facilities
   
• A day for healthcare providers of all sorts to promote advance care planning 
  
  
6. Day Six: Professional Preparedness 
   
• A day to ensure that all professionals understand and can promote advance care planning 
  
  
7. Day Seven: Reflection and Readiness 
• Consider what you've learned during NHDD week and share your experience with others
  

Resources 

• ​Checklist for Creating an Advance Healthcare Directive
• NPR Article: End-Of-Life Planning Is A 'Lifetime Gift' To Your Loved Ones​
• ​11 Ideas for When Someone is Having a Hard Time Talking About Their Wishes for Healthcare​
  
• ​How to Tell Someone Your Wishes When They Don't Want to Listen​

Links

• My Living Voice 
• National Elder Law Foundation 
• PREPARE
• CaringInfo, a program of the National Hospice ​& Palliative Care Organization​​​
• ​Long-Term Care Planning Toolkit​
  
• MyDirectives.com 
  
• Free Will: The National Council on Aging
• The Conversation Project
• National Healthcare Decisions Day​ Resources for Professionals​​
• Maryland​​ Attorney General: Advance Directives
• Aging with Diginity
  
• MHCC Advance Directives Toolkit
  

​​Videos

• ​​​​​​​​Kurt Schmoke, President of the University of Baltimore and former mayor of Baltimore City, explains the value of advance care planning at https://youtu.be/jkUW1lFshgo​
• TEDTALK: Making End of Life Care Matter
• Begin the Conversation
  
• Understanding End of Life Care Options, National Institute Care on Aging​
• Don't Panic, It's Ok: A Letter to Loved Ones Making Difficult Choices​​

Documents

• ​​Living Will Example​
  
• Advance Directive for Mental Health Treatment
  
• A Guide to Maryland Law on HealthCare Decisions (with Forms)
• A Guide to Maryland Law on HealthCare Decisions (with Forms for Visually Impaired)
• Your Life, Your Decisions, Advance Directives Information Sheet
• A Guide to Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else
  
• Maryland MOLST form
  
• Maryland Health Care Commission Electronic Advance Directives Flyer​