At just 20 years old, Nathan Kottkamp took control of his life and his future by completing his own Advance Directive. Completing this type of documentation is quite unusual for someone so young, but through education and his work with a healthcare decisions advocacy group, he felt empowered to take this step for his future self.
When we are young and in seemingly good health, it can make it difficult to think about, let alone plan for and document, our wishes to avoid future tragedy. We may think we are too young, that we need more money, more assets, a family of our own, a diagnosis (the list goes on) before we think about our own mortality and the importance of planning for what that may look like.
Many states only recognize a spouse or blood relative as authorized to make decisions on one’s behalf. It is so important to appoint a trusted person in writing to ensure that your wishes are granted even if you cannot communicate what you want.
In 1990, 26-year-old Terri Schiavo suffered a cardiac arrest that left her in a vegetative state until 2005. Terri’s husband battled her family and the federal court for 15 years, arguing that Terri would not have wanted prolonged artificial life support without the prospect of recovery. This case is still widely debated, and we will never know what Terri wanted because she did not put her wishes in writing with an advance directive.
Attorney Nathan Kottkamp has worked tirelessly to advocate for the critical need for advance directives. He is the Founder and Chair of National Healthcare Decisions Day and points out: “The need to share wishes regarding decision-makers and end-of-life issues certainly aren’t new, but the COVID-19 crisis puts these considerations into bright focus. Furthermore, as the emotional and mental health effects of the crisis accumulate, we also see the benefits of advance care planning for mental health and other non-end-of-life issues.”
Since its inception in 2008, National Healthcare Decisions Day has resulted in over a million healthcare providers receiving advance directives education, over half a million members of the general public receiving education, over 14,000 advance directives being completed, and it has helped raise awareness of the importance of advance care planning.
While difficult to come to terms with, we must responsibly plan for our future so that our wishes can be carried out. Having an advance directive can also take the stress off family members who only want what is best for you, but may be divided on what that exactly means. Having a designated trustee to carry out your documented wishes only goes to safeguard your future and helps you stay in control of your own life – no matter how old you may be!
