Challenge #14

We all tend to put off tasks we don’t want to think about – like making wills or assigning medical or financial proxies.  If we wait too long, we may not be able to designate the people we want to assist us, or to make the decisions we want to make when we can’t. We can’t assume our families or other loved ones know what kinds of medical treatment we would choose if we haven’t told them. 

After all, they don’t have crystal balls. But even if we’ve had discussions with them about our choices, if we don’t have the proper documents executed, they may not be able to enforce those wishes with medical providers.

Do you have an Advance Care Directive or Medical Proxy? Was it executed in the state or country where you’re currently living? When did you last review it? Have you shared it with your family and doctors?

Here’s your challenge – Share what prompted you to prepare your Health Care Proxy if you have one, or what’s stopping you if you don’t… and any other thoughts you have on this topic!

As part of my retirement theme,  I offer this weekly Thursday “Future Challenge” to get people of all ages thinking in general about their futures and/or retirement. Each challenge goes with a post of my own on the same general topic. Hopefully we’ll start some interesting discussions!

If you’d like to share what you think, or post on it, that’s great – and I’d love it if you’d share those thoughts in a post or comment (please tag posts TRS Future Challenge and link to this post) so others can also see them.

If you choose not to share them, that’s fine too – but with any luck, you’ll still gain some insight on where you’re headed (or would like to be), and how you can get the most out of your own journey.

For my own take on this week’s challenge, see my post Murphy’s Law and Why Everybody Needs a Plan – Part 1.