Advance directives highlighted by April 16 effort

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, designed to encourage individuals to discuss and complete their advance directives.

When it comes to living wills and end-of-life treatment preferences, organizers remind healthcare institutions that they are required to:

• Provide information about healthcare decision-making rights.
• Ask residents if they have advance directives.
• Educate staff and community members about advance directives.
• Not discriminate against residents based on their advance directive statuses.

2014 marks the seventh observance of the effort.

To participate and access educational resources and information about best practices, visit www.nhdd.org/.