AMPUTEE SUPPORT GROUP OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA NEWSLETTER
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Monthly Meetings: |
First Tuesday of every month, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, 2990 Telestar Court, Falls Church, Virginia |
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Contacts: |
Daphne
Burroughs, 703-369-2615 Joce Graham, 703-256-0245, jocegraham@cox.net |
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Web Page: |
www.inova.org/rehabilitation/amputee_support.htm |
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Mailing
Address: |
c/o Beth
Harris, 6316 Sumerduck Rd., Remington, VA 22734-2308 |
Support Group Meeting
The Amputee Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA) did
not hold it's regularly scheduled meeting on March 1, 2005, from 7:30 to 9:00
p.m., at the Telestar Court Building in Falls Church, Virginia. As per
our Winter Weather Policy, the meeting was canceled.
News and Announcements
Virginia
Caregiver Grant Program - The Virginia Caregiver Grant Program
provides annual grants of up to $500 to caregivers who provide unreimbursed
care to a needy relative. Grants are awarded for care provided for at least six
months of the previous calendar year. Checks are issued on or before Dec. 31 of
the year in which applications are received, pending funding by the General
Assembly. By Code, there is no appeal process. Decisions by the Virginia
Department of Social Services (VDSS) regarding this grant are final.
General
Requirements -
< Both the caregiver and the relative
receiving care must be related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
< Both the caregiver and the relative
receiving care must reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
< A licensed physician must certify that
the criteria for assistance are met.
< Applications must contain an original
signature from the caregiver and the physician who provides certification.
Faxes and/or electronic signatures cannot be accepted.
Caregiver
Requirements – (Relevant documentation may be requested to verify eligibility)
<
Provide unreimbursed (unpaid) care for a relative who has a
mental or physical impairment;
<
Have an annual Virginia adjusted gross income of not more
than $50,000;
<
Have provided care to the relative for at least six months
of the previous calendar year.
Relative Requirements -
<
Require assistance
with two or more activities of daily living (ADLs) which include: eating, dressing,
bathing, toileting, transferring, bowel continence, bladder continence;
<
Require assistance for at least six months out of the
previous calendar year;
<
Not be receiving Medicaid-reimbursed long-term care
services, except on a periodic or temporary basis.
Filing
Deadlines - Pursuant to the Code of
Virginia, VDSS will only accept applications between Feb. 1 and May 1 of each
year. Applications postmarked prior to February 1 or after May 1 will be
disqualified.
How To Apply - Applications and
assistance can be obtained at local departments of social services, local
departments of health, local community services boards, and at local area
agencies on aging (AAA's). To download an application, go to either seniornavigator.com
or the Virginia Department of Social
Services web site.
Volunteers Needed for
Physical Therapy Program – Dr.
Melissa Wolff-Burke has, once again, requested volunteers for her Physical
Therapy Program Prosthetics Class.
This is probably the only “scheduled” time that these physical therapy
students will have an opportunity, while in a learning environment, to work
with an amputee. This is YOUR
chance to give your two cents worth and influence a physical terrorist – I mean
therapist. Here is Dr.
Wolff-Burke’s letter to you:
Dear Volunteer,
This
letter is a request for two - three hours of your time to volunteer for the
Shenandoah University Physical Therapy program prosthetics class. It will be a great help to our future
therapists to have your assistance.
The students will get your
history, do some testing, show you exercises that you might do and work with
you on walking. Of course, you
know how to do much of this already, so you may have to do some acting to let
them practice. You will have 5-8
students in a group depending on how many volunteers we have that day. You will probably work with 1 to 2
groups of students.
April 22, 2005, 10 a.m. –
11:30 a.m.
We are on the ground floor of 333 West Cork Street, right past RPI.
This is the physical therapy school.
It would be helpful if
you could wear loose fitting clothing similar to what you may have worn while
you were in rehabilitation. If you
are comfortable taking off your leg and describing the on/off procedure to our
students, that would be helpful, but you absolutely do not have to take it
off. There is a lot to do with
your leg on.
If you have any questions,
or if you can come to the April session, please call me at work,
540-545-7238. The students and I
are looking forward to it. Thank
you very much for your time.
Sincerely, Missy
Wolff-Burke, PT
ASGNVA Acquiring A
Loaner Scooter – I am working on the logistics of acquiring the
scooter. Andy Ryder is going to use it and work out any bugs it might have.
After that, it’s up for grabs (borrowing) if you need it. Let us know if you are interested (asgnva@earthlink.net
or call Beth at 540-439-3656).
ASGNVA Funds and Donations – To donate to ASGNVA by phone or obtain a donation
form, call 703-289-2072. ASGNVA does not require any dues from its
members; please consider contributing $4.50, the cost of one member’s
newsletter postage, today. To donate online, go to https://connect.inova.com/j/inovanet.srt/forms/donation/donatenow.htm.
Remember to donate to Inova Foundation Fund 352.
New Web Site for Upper-Extremity Amputees - Lisa Batista recently started Creative Solutions for Amputees, a Web site focusing on how young women can cope with upper-limb amputation and other types of upper-extremity differences. It was while attending the 2003 ACA Annual Educational Conference & Exposition that Batista, who lost most of her left arm after a 2002 car accident, realized how few resources there are for upper-extremity amputees.
Lisa's Creative Alternatives, Inc. was
established in 2003. Lisa's Creative Alternatives, Inc., was then used to
sponsor the Web site, which is designed to provide useful and inspirational
information to upper-extremity amputees and their caregivers. To help her
establish the Web site, Batista enlisted her friends and family members. Visit
the Web site at www.cs4a.org
or contact Creative Alternatives at cs4a@cs4a.org if you have questions or
suggestions; there is an e-mail newsletter you can request at newsletter@cs4a.org.
Services and Products
ADT
Companion Services –
Peg Isidore, Home Health Security Services Representative, ADT Security
Services, joined us for the February meeting and presented a new service
offered by ADT Security Systems called Companion Services - a “personal
emergency response system”. The system consists of a pendant or wristband, worn
at all times (waterproof), and a separate control unit. If the person wearing
the pendant or wristband needs emergency assistance, they press the button on
the pendant/wristband and the control unit calls a pre-programmed number to
summon help. The pendant/wristband doubles as a speakerphone with push button
answering and long-range capability. Sensors are built in to send alert if
unsafe temperatures are detected. The price is very reasonable. If interested,
contact Peg, 703-912-1383, Cell: 703-973-2811, Pager: 703-741-4884, Fax:
703-912-7501, ADT Security Services, 7399 Boston Blvd., Springfield, VA 22153.
ASGNVA
Web Pages –
INOVA Fairfax Hospital hosts our “official” web page, which can be accessed at:
http://www.inova.org/inovapublic.srt/rehabilitation/amputee_support.htm. The dynamic ASGNVA UNOFFICIAL WEB
PAGE
can be accessed at http://home.earthlink.net/~asgnva/ASGNVA.html. I will continue to add newsletters (both current and
archived) as well as other information, as applicable. Let me know if you want to see
something on the page – your “webmaster” is only an e-mail or phone call
away.
ASGNVA
Lending Library
– Come to a meeting and borrow a book or see what new handouts are
available. If you would like to borrow materials from ASGNVA’s Lending Library,
please contact Jason Bulger or Beth Harris or e-mail asgnva@earthlink.net.
Member Updates
Roberta
Wooden
– Roberta is hanging in there and waiting to heal on her “other”
foot. We’ve had quite a few long
talks over the phone and, although Roberta is anxious to be able to get out and
about, she is not “hibernating”, but making herself useful at home as much as
possible. It just takes so much time!
So far, one part of her “other foot” has healed and we’re just waiting
for the other part to heal. So far, so good. After that, we’ll work on getting
Roberta “up and ‘at em” and into her “new normal” lifestyle.
Patti
Skinner – Patti
has been attending meetings as of late and we have enjoyed seeing her and
getting to know her. She is a valuable asset to the group and I think she has
gained some things from attending the meetings as well. Patti is a trauma amputee and still has
not regained her “new normal” lifestyle – but she’s working on it. In the
meantime, Patti is busy advocating chair exercise programs wherever she
is. She sent me an e-mail updating
me on her contacts.
. . . I was able to pass the info along not only to Ms. Prack (who I met at the Inova building), but also to Kristin Dammen who's the physical therapist at the Burn Center at Washington Hospital Center.
. . . I'm also going to be sending a letter to Joyce at NRH about Chair Dancing and I'll send that info along to her--I'm sure that will help her too (to let you know that your good work ripples out endlessly).My very best to you and all,
Thanks, Patti, for trying to spread the word about “good things” for amputees. Sometimes we need all the help we can get!
Beth
Harris – Beth
Harris is PALS Facilitator for the local PALS Support Group. The group started
meeting on March 21st.
PALS is the acronym for Promoting Amputee Life Skills, a
research study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University
of Washington along with the Amputee Coalition of America are leading this
study. The PALS study is evaluating the benefit of different types of support
groups. Read about PALS later in this newsletter.
Scheduled Events
Canine Companions for Independence Awareness Day - Saturday,
March 19, 2005, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, Fairfax
County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA. Come
and learn what the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) program is all
about. Meet CCI graduate teams, puppy raisers, puppies-in-training and
volunteers. Learn how CCI enhances the life of people with disabilities.
Refreshments will be served. Directions or information, call
703-938-1733.
15th National Amputee Golf Association
Combo Classic Golf Tournament - Fairfax
County Parks Twin Lakes Golf Course, 6201
Union Mill Rd., Clifton, VA 20124 (Directions: take Beltway Exit 54A (Braddock
Road) west approximately 11 miles to left on Union Mill Road, entrance is on
the left (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/maps/twinlakesmap.htm)),
June 10-11, 2005, call 703-631-9099,
ext. 206 or e-mail: kirk.mason@co.fairfax.va.us.
ASGNVA
Monthly Meeting
– The next monthly meeting is April 5. As we didn’t see the Ossiointegration
video yet, we can watch that after we ask for nominations and/or volunteers for
Board positions. ASGNVA needs some of your time.
As
usual, there will be current copies of Disabled Dealer and many other
new handouts. Remember - YOU
have the choice to make your support group better.
ACA Annual Educational Conference &
Exposition, August 11-13, 2005,
Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, TX - Don’t miss this exciting event! Mark
your calendar, and make your plans today to attend the ACA 2005 Annual
Educational Conference & Exposition. Changing Direction: Leading the Way to
Better Care is the theme of the 2005 conference, and issues related to
amputation, pain control, technology, fitness, gait training, and advocacy will
be covered in 3 days of nonstop sessions, events and social activities. Learn
how the ACA is working for you in Washington as we launch the largest advocacy
campaign in ACA history!
New additions for
2005 include:
< Technology sessions and health screenings in the exhibit hall
< Daily refreshment breaks
< Less conflicts and more time between sessions
< Plated meals and more seating in banquet areas
< All sessions and exhibit hall located on one floor.
All conference events and activities
will take place at the beautiful Fairmont Hotel in downtown Dallas. The ACA has
secured a discounted room rate of $100/night plus taxes. To reserve your room,
please call the Fairmont toll-free at 800/441-1414. If you have special needs,
please book early. There are a limited number of accessible rooms and shower
chairs available, and they will be booked on a first-come/first-serve basis.
Dallas is hot in August, but you will be cool as you cruise the ballroom in your poodle skirt or rolled-up jeans at the 2005 ACA Sock Hop! Join all of your friends at this fun social event scheduled for Friday, August 12. A delicious dinner will be followed by entertainment and dancing. Enjoy music from the ’50s to the ’90s as you enjoy meeting and having fun with ACA staff and your new friends! This event is included in your full conference registration. Additional tickets are available for guests. Register today! See you in Dallas!
A sense of humor is the pole that
adds balance to our steps as we walk the tightrope of life.
Traditional Proverb
Calendar of Events
March
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1-31 |
National Nutrition Month® 2005: Get A Taste for
Nutrition! American
Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL
60606-6995, (800) 877-1600 x4771, nnm@eatright.org, www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_11422.cfm,
Materials available. Contact:
Knowledge Center. |
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1 |
Amputee
Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA) – First Tuesday of the month,
7:30-9:00 p.m., 2990 Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, Falls Church,
VA. Contact Beth Harris, 540-439-3656, betheharris@earthlink.net or
asgnva@earthlink.net. |
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2 |
Happy Birthday |
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3 |
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8 |
Fredericsksburg Area Amputee Support Team (FAAST) – Second Tuesday
of the month, 7:00-9:00 p.m., The disAbility Resource Center, 409 Progress
Street, Fredericksburg, VA. Contact Greg Wright, 540-899-2655 or
800-333-4102. |
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9 |
Happy
Birthday to Ahman Shahna |
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10 |
Happy
Birthday |
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11 |
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15 |
Washington Amputee Association (WAA) – Third Tuesday
of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., National Rehabilitation Hospital, 102 Irving
Street, NW, Washington, DC, Ground Floor Dining Room (rear section, near the
windows and behind the partition). Contact Roy Dwyer, 301-897-2816. |
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16 |
Kernan Hospital Amputee Support Group – Third
Wednesday of the month, 6:00-8:00 p.m., SCI Gym Room G604, Kernan Hospital,
2200 Kernan Dr., Gwynn Oak, MD. Contact Mark Senker at
410-581-7027. Snow Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2005. Sponsor: Jeff Cups, Chesapeake Rehabilitation Equipment. |
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23 |
Happy
Birthday to Rebecca Wolfrey |
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31 |
Ability With Mobility – Last Thursday
of the month, 6:00-8:00 p.m., 2nd floor, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of
Maryland, 9909 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD. Contact Sandy
Shehadeh, 240-864-6200. |
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April 2005 |
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1-28 |
Cancer Control
Month, American Cancer Society, 1599 Clifton Road,
NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, (800) ACS-2345, (404) 320-3331, www.cancer.org.
Materials available, Contact: Local chapters.
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3 |
Happy
Birthday to Angela Jones! |
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5 |
Amputee
Support Group of Northern Virginia (ASGNVA) – First Tuesday of the month,
7:30-9:00 p.m., 2990 Telestar Court Building, Gemini Room, Falls Church,
VA. Contact Beth Harris, 540-439-3656, betheharris@earthlink.net or
asgnva@earthlink.net. |
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7 |
World Health Day, WHO
Regional Office for the Americas, Pan American Health Organization, 525 23rd
Street, NW, Room 524, Washington, DC 20037-2895, (202) 974-3156 , (202)
974-3645 Fax, www.who.int/world-health-day/2005/en,
Materials available.
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12 |
Fredericsksburg Area Amputee Support Team (FAAST) – Second Tuesday
of the month, 7:00-9:00 p.m., The disAbility Resource Center, 409 Progress
Street, Fredericksburg, VA. Contact Greg Wright, 540-899-2655 or
800-333-4102. |
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17 |
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19 |
Washington Amputee Association (WAA) – Third Tuesday
of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., National Rehabilitation Hospital, 102 Irving
Street, NW, Washington, DC, Ground Floor Dining Room (rear section, near the
windows and behind the partition). Contact Roy Dwyer, 301-897-2816. |
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20 |
Kernan Hospital Amputee Support Group – Third
Wednesday of the month, 6:00-8:00 p.m., SCI Gym Room G604, Kernan Hospital,
2200 Kernan Dr., Gwynn Oak, MD. Contact Mark Senker at 410-581-7027.
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22 |
Happy
Birthday to Stan Smith! |
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29 |
Ability With Mobility – Last Thursday
of the month, 6:00-8:00 p.m., 2nd floor, Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of
Maryland, 9909 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD. Contact Sandy
Shehadeh, 240-864-6200. |
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30 |
Happy Birthday
to Beth Harris! |
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ORGANIZING (OR RE-ORGANIZING) A SUPPORT GROUP
ASGNVA is
a one-person (almost) operated amputee support group. Why? I don’t know but I
can tell you that I can’t keep it up – and I shouldn’t. Also, I have other
organizations that I work WITH that are physically much closer to home. So, if
you want this group to stay together, here’s what needs to happen next:
developing a Board of Directors.
A
Board of Directors is not a hierarchy; it is a board of peers. Each board
member is responsible for completing the business of the group outlined in the
bylaws of the group. The board member comes to the meeting and reports back or,
prior to the meeting, tells the Meeting Facilitator what they have accomplished
during the month. So here’s the list of Board members that need to be filled. Joce
Graham called and volunteered so I’ve filled in our names in the positions that
we’re willing to do to keep up with the chores. Please feel free to contact either Joce (703-254-0245) or Beth
(540-439-3656) with suggestions or to volunteer to perform a task on the Board of
Directors task list.
And after
that, the “group business” should take care of itself. The meeting activities can then start becoming
something other than a mad dash up Route 66 in case a new amputee shows up. Come
on, pitch in – I do most of the “paperwork”. What ASGNVA needs is to enjoy more face-to-face
communication among its members so that they can truly enjoy, learn and benefit
from the support of each other.
Meeting Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Chair
Business Meetings.
(2)
Initiate discussion among Board Members and general
membership regarding ASGNVA goals and objectives.
(3)
Keep close contact with members regarding their needs and
assess how ASGNVA is meeting those needs.
(4)
Host and lead discussion at ASGNVA monthly meetings
and any other ad hoc meetings.
(5) Obtain
speakers for monthly meetings and special events.
(6) Ensure
reservation for meeting room is made, in advance.
Secretary. Beth Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Take
notes at Business Meetings and distribute copies to all members (in the
newsletter).
(2)
Keep master files.
(3)
Maintain ASGNVA’s archives.
Treasurer. Beth
Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Act
as financial liaison between INOVA Fairfax Hospital contact and ASGNVA members
for reimbursement of any expenses incurred as a result of activities approved
by the Board of Directors.
Data Base Manager. Beth
Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
(1) Maintain an automated member/mailing list.
(2)
Provide a periodic softcopy of the data base/archives to
another designated individual of ASGNVA.
(3)
Provide a contact list of approved visitors to the
Visitation Coordinator.
(4) Print mailing labels for the monthly newsletter and any other mailings.
(5) Provide information to various members of the Board of Directors, as requested.
Communications
Coordinator. Joce
Graham (703-256-0245, JoceGraham@cox.net)
(1)
Coordinate
with print and electronic media for publication of meeting and/or special event
announcements.
(2)
Send
out e-mails to ASGNVA members of monthly meetings and special events.
(3)
Create
and maintain a “telephone chain” for quick turnaround of news, events or
cancellations.
(4)
Create,
modify and/or maintain a supply of ASGNVA promotional materials.
(5)
Ensure
that ASGNVA materials are placed in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and any
other place deemed appropriate.
(6)
Maintain
and post meeting and event signs and/or information.
Visitation Coordinator. (Position Vacant)
(1)
Receive requests for hospital visits.
(2)
Select a peer-certified visitor to visit new amputees
and/or individuals considering amputation.
(3)
Perform quality control on the visitation process.
(4)
Keep records of visits.
(5)
Assemble and send new amputee information packets to those
visited.
(6)
Provide periodic visitation reports at the Business
Meeting.
(7)
Provide new amputee information to the Data Base Manager
for the member/mailing list.
(8)
Coordinate provision of visitor training.
Newsletter Editor. Beth Harris (540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net)
and Assistant Newsletter Editor - Joce
Graham (703-256-0245, JoceGraham@cox.net)
(1) Write and edit ASGNVA’s
monthly newsletter.
(2)
Consult with the Board of Directors regarding the newsletter’s content.
(3) Prepare the newsletter
for mailing and mail it in accordance with Postal Service requirements.
Hospitality Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Set
up the meeting place before meetings and clean up afterward.
(2) Staff “welcome” table at
meetings.
(3) Maintain stock of
materials (nametags, brochures, InMotion copies, etc.) for “welcome” table.
Membership Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1)
Design and implement events designed to attract new members.
(2)
Generate ideas to retain existing members.
(3)
Maintain close coordination with the Communications Facilitator (for
announcements), the Visitation Facilitator (for outreach to new amputees), the
Community Outreach Facilitator (for attracting members from other groups).
Community Outreach Facilitator. (Position Vacant)
(1) Establish and maintain liaison with other local groups,
as appropriate, such as independent living centers, caregiver support groups,
other disability-specific groups.
(2) Establish
and maintain liaison with local governmental entities, as appropriate.
We
are PALS
PROMOTING AMPUTEE LIFE SKILLS
What is
PALS? Promoting Amputee Life Skills (PALS)
is a research study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University
of Washington along with the Amputee Coalition of America are 
leading
this study.
We
recognize that people with limb loss have a lot to teach each other. Existing
support groups that are located throughout the country help connect people with
limb loss. The PALS study is evaluating the benefit of different types of
support groups. We are asking members of approximately 50 amputee support
groups nationwide to join the study. Groups in the study have been randomly
assigned to attend either an 8-week self-management course or their usual
support group meeting.
Who can participate in the study? People, 18-years or older, who have lived with limb loss for
6 months or longer, are being asked to join the study.
What does study participation involve? Participants will attend either a
2-hour group meeting (Self-Management Course) every week for 8 weeks or attend
a regular support group meeting once a month for 3 months:
Self-Management
Course - Participants in the groups assigned to the 8-week
self-management course will meet each week to learn skills that build on each
individual’s strengths. A trained leader will lead the classes. Each week, the
lesson contains information on a particular topic relevant to people with limb
loss. Participants will work together as a group to learn and 
practice
self-management skills.
Regular
Support Group - Participants in the comparison support groups will
attend three regularly scheduled support group meetings. At the meetings,
members will decide together what topics they would like to discuss and the
format of the meeting.
Before
the first meeting, all participants in both groups will be asked to complete a
30-minute telephone interview. The interview will include questions about your
limb loss, and different areas of your life that may be impacted, such as work,
family life, physical activities, and overall sense of well-being. Participants
will also be asked to complete three follow-up 30-minute telephone interviews
that will be scheduled at about 10 weeks, 6 months and 9 months after the first
interview. You will receive $25 after completing each of these interviews, for
a total of $100.
Your
cooperation is important to the success of this research study and we hope you
will decide to join us. However, it is your decision whether or not you will
participate. If you decide not to join this study, this will 
not
affect any care or services you may receive now or in the future.
Why should I participate? We all want to lead active and independent lives. With your
help, we believe that we can develop a program that will help other people with
limb loss improve the quality of their life. You may benefit from this study
personally by improving your knowledge and by learning how to overcome the barriers
you may encounter in your everyday life.
Is the information I share confidential? All information gathered in this study,
including any discussions you may have during the group meetings and answers
you provide during the telephone interviews, will be kept confidential and used
for research purposes only.
Is there a group near me? Yes.
For more information, contact the local PALS Facilitator, Beth Harris,
540-439-3656, BeTheHarris@earthlink.net,
or Susan Tipton at the Amputee Coalition of America (see below).
For more information: - If you
would like to enroll in the study or have any questions, please contact: Susan Tipton, Amputee Coalition of America, 1-888-267-5669
ext. 8132, stipton@amputee-coalition.org.
Living Will Is The Best Procedure
For Avoiding Entanglements
Lawmakers
across the country have tried for more than a decade to come up with rules that
would prevent the kind of legal drama surrounding the Terri Schiavo case in
Florida.
But
when it comes to death and dying, even close-knit families can disagree on
whether there is a right time to discontinue artificial life support. Wills
that once seemed ironclad can face court challenges when a life is in the
balance.
"We
do encounter disputes," said Bernie McKay, a Cincinnati lawyer
specializing in estate planning. "And they are dreadful."
They
also are rare. McKay said most families never have to fight it out in court
because they either agree on medical treatment or reach an agreement through
informal mediation.
But
to avoid angst among family members - and a potential court battle - McKay and
other legal experts recommend doing as much as possible to take the decision
out of the hands of relatives.
The
best way is to write a "living will" and to grant someone "power
of attorney" to make medical care decisions in the event of
incapacitation.
A
living will is a legally binding document that expresses a person's wishes in
regard to artificial life support. All states recognize some form of living
will but rules vary from state to state.
Lawmakers
have been rewriting living will laws for more than a decade, trying to keep up
with advances in medicine and trying to head off legal challenges. Ohio and
Indiana, for example, now specifically ask those filling out living wills
whether they want "artificially supplied nutrition and hydration" (a
feeding tube).
That's
a key point of contention in the Schiavo case: Her husband wants the tube
removed and other family members do not.
Schiavo
did not have a living will, and legal experts say her story should be a
cautionary tale. A recent survey by FindLaw, an online legal resource, found
that 67 percent of Americans do not have living wills.
"Hopefully,
this will push more folks to make their wishes known, so you don't run into
this," said Hamilton County Probate Judge Jim Cissell.
The
living will leaves the decision on continuing artificial support to an attending
doctor, as long as two doctors agree on the patient's condition. Another option
is assigning power of attorney to a friend or relative who would make medical
decisions on the patient's behalf.
"The
question is, do you want your attending physician calling the shots or a family
member?" said Tom Keating, a Cincinnati lawyer who has specialized in
estate planning for 30 years.
Some
lawyers recommend both. They say the living will addresses an important but
narrow issue - life support - while power of attorney identifies someone to
approve more routine medical care if you are incapacitated but not dying.
On
life and death issues, McKay said, the living will would likely trump the power
of attorney, leaving the big decision in the hands of a doctor.
But
even a living will can be challenged in probate court. If family members object
to a doctor's decision, they can argue against it on grounds the death would
not be quick, or would be painful or there might be a chance for recovery.
Disagreements
are more common when there is no living will. Because the patient's wishes are
unclear or unknown, family members can take their grievances to the court and
ask the judge to make the call.
McKay
said the Schiavo case, while exceptional, shows just how bad things can get if
the patient doesn't give guidance through a living will.
"This
is a tough issue," he said. "You should talk to your spouse, talk to
your family and talk to your clergy. And then you should sign these documents
so your family doesn't have to go through this."
