This post was written by Michael Kinsey, MAOL, specialist, Advance Care Planning, Parkview Health.
Another summer has come to a close, taking with it peak vacation season. Whether you traveled abroad, to the coastline, to a state park or were a tourist in your hometown, if you’re anything like my family, you started talking about your next journey-of-a-lifetime before the one you were enjoying ended. When we contemplate destinations, we imagine how wonderful they will be. This carries us into the planning phase, where we weigh activities, travel and accommodations, balancing affordability and desires. It doesn’t matter whether you’re mapping out a quiet mountain retreat, tropical island getaway, a theme park, or a bustling city, our choices always depend on our preferences.
How will you get there?
Do you need to fly, drive, take a ferry, walk a long distance? I remember as a child, being fascinated as my parents would break out the trusty atlas, highlight each of the roads we would travel and write in the locations of the stops we would make along the way. As an adult, I’ve spent time searching for the best deals on flights with times that work best for the itinerary. If you enjoy cruising, you know the amount of planning and coordination that goes into getting to your port city, to the port the next morning and onto the ship. Whatever the destination, without a travel plan, you would be lost.
What will you need?
You begin to make a list of what you will need during the journey. You consider the weather and activities as you decide what clothing to pack. Are you ready for rain? Have you prepared for an evening chill? Do you have the right shoes to take on an adventure? A well-intentioned vacation can become a mess if you don’t plan ahead.
Is everything in order?
Once you know where you’re going, how you’re getting there and what you’re bringing, you consider if your documentation is in order. Will you need a passport, parking permit, tickets or itinerary? You carefully examine each document to be sure it meets your needs, and it is correctly completed. Once finished, you keep those documents safe and make sure that everyone who needs one has a copy.
Another kind of journey
Planning for a trip is the smart thing to do. We don’t consider doing it any other way. So why would we skip these steps for our healthcare journey?
We all begin a healthcare journey on the day we’re born. Our parent(s) or guardian manage that journey for 18 years. Then one day, we are left to ourselves to make the decisions and choices. At some point, we begin to consider what’s important to us. We contemplate what we would or would not want in different healthcare situations. We decide what and who is important to have along for the journey. We make a list called an advance directive, and we share it with those who matter most in our lives.
Perhaps you are now thinking about the importance of planning ahead for your own healthcare journey or maybe you already have a plan but want to be sure you’ve considered everything. The Parkview Advance Care Planning facilitators can help.
I guess in a way, Advance Care Planning facilitators are a lot like travel agents. We will sit with you and have a conversation. We talk with you about your values, your preferences and your healthcare goals. We help you complete the necessary documents. We are here to help you plan for the journey ahead.
To schedule a free Advance Care Planning conversation, please call Parkview Health ACP at 260-266-1481 or email acpdept@parkview.com.
