As a lawyer with more than 37 years’ experience, and as the co-author of two nationally syndicated newspaper columns for more than 18 years (FlyingSolo® by Knight-Ridder Tribune News Service www.flyingsolo.com and NextSteps® by United Features Syndicate www.nextsteps.net ), I have been consulted by people at the absolute worst times in their lives.

Over the years, I have found that, all too often, folks tend to put off important decisions until it’s too late.  One of these decisions is who will make their health-related decisions for them if they become unable to make those decisions themselves.

In the early 1990’s, I produced a series of videotapes, audiotapes, and printed materials about living wills and other advance health care decision-making alternatives with Spencer Christian, then the weatherman on ABC’s Good Morning America.  This series, called Make Your Wishes Known®, is still used by hospitals and others to provide education about advance health decision-making.  I also produced a more in depth series of videos and printed material with South Carolina Educational Television. 

But while these programs provided good information, they did not go far enough because the health care directive forms and the manner in which the documents should be signed varied greatly from state to state.

I have found that even if folks have their state document in hand, many do not understand the medical terms used; can’t find a doctor or nurse to explain the information to them; don’t sign it properly; don’t want to go to a lawyer to pay for a form they can get free, and therefore put the form in the drawer and do nothing. 

The Result:  The vast majority of Americans have not signed advance health care directives, arguably the most important document you will ever sign. 

Just think about it:  if you don’t put it in writing, people you may not want making decisions about your medical treatment if you become incapacitated may well be just the folks who make your decisions.

I’m sure you remember all of the litigation and family strife that surrounded Terri Schiavo because she had not made her wishes known in writing.  I assure you that situations play out in families every day that don’t get the press coverage the Schiavo case did, but that cause unnecessary divisiveness and expense in families just the same.

Here’s a common situation that can lead to unintended results:  After Mom died, Dad remarries.  Dad had told you, his children, that you would be in charge of everything.  But unfortunately, Dad has a stroke, becomes incapacitated, and enters a nursing home before he dies.  Because Dad has not signed an advance health directive appointing his children to make his decisions when he was not able, his second wife – who has priority under state law as his wife – makes all of his health care decisions.  She can even prevent you, his children, from visiting him in the hospital and in the nursing home.  When he dies, she, not you, may well decide not to bury him in your family plot.  Sound impossible?   Don’t bet on it.

The more I heard from my clients, the more cases I have handled in this area,  and the more I hear from our readers throughout the United States, the more convinced I became that there had to be a way for average Americans to “Make Their Wishes Known” not only about health care and end of life decisions, but also other issues that can lead to unnecessary family strife and expense if not attended to.  I am talking about such issues as patient’s rights in nursing facilities and hospitals, burial, and more.

While the laws of each state are somewhat different as are the preferred forms and the manner in which the documents should be signed.  The vast majority of state forms do not cover in detail, or at all, a number of areas I know you will want dealt with. 

So I invite you to read the materials on this Website carefully and prepare to take the time necessary to put Your Final Decisions® in writing now.  See how My Final Decisions® can ease your mind and help prevent the travesties caused by folks not taking the time to put their intentions in writing.

During the past 16 years, I have been working on ways to help folks like you and your families to put your wishes in writing so that, should the unthinkable happen, your intentions will be carried out.  My Final Decisions® can help you put your wishes in writing at a price that will be well-worth the result:  Peace of Mind.