• Estate Planning
  • Elder Law
  • Business Law
Contact Us Today! 270-212-3669
K.T. Williams Law
  • Welcome
  • About
    • Our Practice
    • K.T. Williams
    • Jessica P. Larew
  • Services
    • Estate Planning
    • Elder Law
    • Business Law
  • Articles
  • Facebook
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu
  • Facebook
  • Mail

Coronavirus, Cancellations, and Quarantine: What’s Really Going On?

March 13, 2020/in Health Care Planning/by KT Williams

Coronavirus, cancellations, and quarantine. What’s really going on? That question may be on your mind. It has been at the top of mine. Just a few days ago, I thought the worry and the panic surrounding the coronavirus was simple hysteria that would go away quickly. I would read one article then another. The messages were different, yet well-reasoned. Some suggested that the worry was exaggerated while others suggested that the worry was justified and that a major response was required. As a result of the inconsistent messages, I decided that restraint was the most reasonable response.

Now, just days later, I realize that we shouldn’t so quickly dismiss the seriousness of the risk. We may look back in a few months and think the precautions were overblown, knee-jerk reactions to a sickness that will come and go like so many others. I hope that’s the case. And if we see that we were simply manipulated by the media through its control of information, I will be disappointed. Be that as it may, the information I’ve seen suggests that the response is justified.

Why Cancel Gatherings and Limit Personal Interaction?

It may seem that cancelling activities and large gatherings is aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. I don’t think that’s the case. The virus will spread. Many of us will get it. So why the cancellations? To slow the spread of the virus so that the healthcare system can provide care to all who need it.

This virus spreads quickly. If a large number of people contract it at the same time, they are likely to need healthcare treatment at the same time. Unfortunately, the healthcare system doesn’t have a limitless supply of resources. And if the number of people needing care exceeds the ability of the healthcare system to provide it, someone will have to do without. No one wants to see that happen, but it could. So these huge steps, such as closing schools and cancelling concerts and tournaments, are being taken to ease the burden on the healthcare system so that those needing care will be able to get it.

What Is Your Part?

Each of us has a role to play in this, and it is to take care of ourselves and protect our own health. By doing that, we may avoid becoming carriers of this virus. If we aren’t carrying it, we aren’t spreading it.

To do your part, follow the recommendations we’ve seen so often that they’ve become the subject of memes and jokes. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. Don’t touch your face. Use hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of at least 60%. Don’t shake hands. Keep your distance from people with virus symptoms. But stay in touch with friends and family. Isolating ourselves doesn’t mean we aren’t interacting with others. Modern technology allows nearly limitless interaction. Calls, texts, sharing pictures, and videos are simple ways we can remain in touch with one another.

And don’t forget… stay positive. This will pass. And, at my office, it will be business as usual to help with your estate planning and elder law needs.

https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/general-practitioners-gps-germany.jpg 482 800 KT Williams https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/williams-law-logo-rgb-640px.png KT Williams2020-03-13 13:26:452020-03-13 13:27:13Coronavirus, Cancellations, and Quarantine: What’s Really Going On?

Living Will and Other Health Care Directives: The Basics

October 18, 2019/in Health Care Planning/by KT Williams

The Living Will directs our health care providers about specific procedures we want or don’t want. It only comes into play if we are incapacitated and can’t express our wishes directly to our nurse or doctor. Our Living Will does not direct our family or anyone else about our property. Our Last Will and Testament (our Will) does that. Because the names are similar, however, some confusion occasionally arises.

The Living Will has a Narrow Scope.

The Living Will relates to important health care procedures that we might face, such as the need for feeding tubes, life support, and comfort measures. It isn’t a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order, and it will not prevent health care providers from trying to resuscitate you. So, if you want to prevent resuscitation, you should have a DNR in your medical records and perhaps even a Medical Order for Scope of Treatment (MOST). You can get more information about the importance of a MOST in this helpful article.

In your Living Will, you can say whether you want the other health care procedures that could prolong your life. But there isn’t an option to say “it depends.” Most of us, though, don’t feel convinced that we want to prohibit life support under all circumstances. We realize that our need for life support could be temporary. And a fulfilling, quality life could follow the temporary use of life support. So we may be reluctant to say in our Living Will that we don’t want life support.

However, most of us are also certain that we don’t want to be kept on life support indefinitely. So how do we express this “it depends” attitude about life support and other procedures covered by a Living Will? Well, the Living Will allows us to leave the decision to our Health Care Surrogate. We can give our Health Care Surrogate the authority to listen to our health care providers, then decide what they believe we would choose if we were listening with them. If they think we would allow life support based on the medical report, then they will allow it. It they don’t think we would allow life support based on the medical report, then they won’t allow it. And, if they allow it, but the prospect of a fulfilling, quality life after life support becomes unlikely, they can remove the life support.

But keep this in mind: if you place the decision on your health care surrogate, they must live with the decision, and that can be difficult. Many people I’ve served don’t want to put the burden of that decision on anyone else. So they express clearly in the Living Will whether they want the procedures or not, and they accept the consequences of that decision.

The Health Care (or Medical) Power of Attorney has a Broader Scope.

While the Living Will is narrow in scope and typically relates to end-of-life health care decisions, the Health Care Power of Attorney relates to health care decisions that we might face at other times in our life. Of course, like the Living Will, the Health Care Power of Attorney isn’t needed if we can express our wishes directly to our nurses and doctors. But when we can’t, such as if we are in the middle of a medical procedure, the Health Care Power of Attorney gives our Health Care Surrogate authority to make health care decisions for us. For example, imagine we are having a surgical procedure for which we must be asleep. While we’re asleep, the surgeon discovers something unexpected and knows immediate action should be taken. But the physician may be reluctant to proceed without authorization. So the physician could explain the situation to the Health Care Surrogate, get approval to proceed, then take the action without further delay. Suffice it to say, we should all have a Health Care Power of Attorney that names a Health Care Surrogate we trust to make wise decisions for our health.

You Should Have a Living Will and Other Advance Directives.

Make no mistake that I believe everyone should have up-to-date and thorough health care directives, such as the Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney. Also, if we don’t want to be resuscitated, we should be clear to our nurses and doctors that they should place a DNR order in our medical record. And everyone should consider the Medical Order for Scope of Treatment (MOST). It will help give our nurses and doctors a clear picture of our wishes in a way that is easy for them to understand. Contact us for help with your Living Will, Health Care Power of Attorney, or other estate planning needs.

https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-10-18-FB-PIC.jpg 508 800 KT Williams https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/williams-law-logo-rgb-640px.png KT Williams2019-10-18 14:54:022019-10-18 14:54:28Living Will and Other Health Care Directives: The Basics

You Know about Health Care Directives: Do you know the MOST?

August 2, 2019/in Health Care Planning/by KT Williams

Earlier this year, I wrote an article about health care decision making and many of the health care directives that everyone should consider. If you missed the article, you can find it here. It discusses common health care directives, such as the Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney. You may be familiar with the Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney, but do you know the MOST?

What is the MOST?

Those familiar with a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order should think of the MOST (Medical Order for Scope of Treatment) as a new and improved DNR. Rather than simply covering resuscitation like the DNR does, the MOST covers so much more. This means your care will more closely match your wishes. And that is why it is better than a DNR.

Like the DNR, the MOST is a medical record. That means it will be part of our your permanent health care record and easily transferred as you move from facility to facility for care.
Not every state has the MOST. But the majority of states have something similar. For example, Indiana’s version of the MOST is called POST (Physician Order for Scope of Treatment). It’s purpose and benefits are the same as the MOST, and it looks similar, too.

Does the MOST Replace Your Living Will or Health Care Power of Attorney?

The MOST doesn’t replace your advance directives, like your Living Will or your Health Care Power of Attorney. They remain as important as ever. The MOST can serve as an important supplement to them that further explains your wishes and moves with you throughout your health care journey.
Does the MOST Replace a DNR?

The MOST is not a replacement for the DNR. It may reach that status. But, for now, it does not. The MOST is new, and it takes time for hospitals and medical facilities to implement new programs. For example, not long ago, my grandmother was in the hospital. I asked the nurses about the hospital’s use of the MOST because I wanted my grandmother to have one in her medical file. My question was met with blank stares. After I explained what I was asking about, the nurses checked with hospital administrators who said the MOST had not been implemented at that facility. The point is, if you or a loved one have a DNR, don’t consider it obsolete. The MOST may not be available where you receive care. But you should check.

How Do You Get the MOST Into Your Medical Record?

The MOST must be signed by a physician. So you could wait until you are receiving medical care, then ask if one could be placed in your record. But if you wait until you are receiving care before you ask for the MOST, you might not have much time to consider the questions asked or be in the best frame of mind to answer them. Instead, you should review the MOST in advance of any medical need. A good time to consider the MOST is when working on your Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney.

Where Can You Find the MOST?

Your health care providers should have them. If they don’t, you can also find the MOST under the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure website. You can print a copy of it and review the questions. Then, you should go over the MOST with your physician so that it will be placed in your medical record. If you want to make sure it agrees with your advance directives, such as your Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney, consider giving a copy to your estate planning attorney. I want the people and families I serve to receive the care they desire. And if the MOST and the advance directives express different wishes, the result could be devastating. So be proactive in making your wishes known and consistent through your advance directives and medical records. If you have any questions about Estates, Wills, Trusts, Elder Law, Living Wills, Health Care Powers of Attorney, or the MOST, contact us. We’re happy to help.

https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/doctor-pic.jpg 477 800 KT Williams https://ktwilliamslaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/williams-law-logo-rgb-640px.png KT Williams2019-08-02 15:41:502019-08-02 15:42:48You Know about Health Care Directives: Do you know the MOST?

Archive

  • March 2021
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019

Categories

  • Asset Preservation
  • Business
  • Caregivers
  • Estate Administration
  • Estate Planning
  • Health Care Planning
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Medicaid
  • Retirement
  • Uncategorized
  • Veterans

K.T. Williams Law PLLC

226 B North Elm Street
P.O. Box 561
Henderson, KY 42419-0561
270-212-3669

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday: 8:00-5:00
Friday: 8:00-4:00
Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Follow us on Facebook

This website is an advertisement, not advice or instructions, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. 
Do not take action based on anything seen here without consulting an attorney.

Copyright © 2023 – K.T. WILLIAMS LAW – Henderson, KY Law Office – [ website by VisualRush ]

Scroll to top