Healthcare Decisions Day held to encourage planning ahead

JACKSON, Tenn.– What would you do in an emergency if you couldn’t speak?

“It’s important to make these decisions now because, God forbid, you’re in a car wreck or you’re in some sort of situation where you’re not able to communicate, or you’re not able to mentally make these decisions,” said Mallory Cooke, the spokesperson for the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

April 16 is Healthcare Decisions Day, when health officials encourage people to make decisions about their health in the event of a medical emergency.

“Anybody can fill out an advanced directive. You could be 20-years-old and in great health, you could be killed in a car wreck tomorrow. You never know what is going to happen. We are encouraging every adult in the state to make these decisions,” Cooke said.

“It asks you several simple questions about what you want for your end-of-life care. It also asks who you want to make the decisions for you,” said Cooke.

Choose someone you trust to make medical choices for you if you’re unable to make your own decisions.
When filling out those forms, you’ll decide a variety of care procedures, from receiving IV fluids to resuscitation and life support.

“Its important to prepare because you never know what life could throw at you,” Cooke said.

To get the forms, click here.