Handbook for successful ageing - 10. - 10.3

10. Provide in case of inability of agreement
 

Through a damage of the brain - for instance in a row of a traffic accident - and particularly today of an age-related Denentia, you can suddenly or accordendly gradually be acceptance-incabably. For this case you should give an "health care proxy" to a person of your confidence and you should build up a living will.
 

10.1 Health care proxy
  

For such a document there are cerculating presumably a lot of examples in your country. Read some of them carefully and keep hold of the things which you think have to be regulated in your special case.
 

10.2 Living will
  

In Germany only persons of age can have a living will, and this can only be done in writing. Possible older versions of a living will may remain valid, but it is nevertheless recommendable to write it down now, in order to prevent any possible doubts or arguments between others to whom you had expressed your will. Depending on your knowledge it can also be useful to discuss the matter with your doctor and then make a note in your living will that this discussion has happened. It is also recommendable to check from time to time if your living will still corresponds with your current ideas/ requirements, and to make a note on the will when you have last checked it.
  

You should always carry a copy of this will and a possible health care proxy with you when you leave the house and you should give a copy of the will to your doctor and your relatives and again have it registered at the Will Register ( www.uk-will-register.co.uk/livingwill ) and, where this is already possible, store it at/ leave it with the mental health court.
  

You should always have a copy of this proxy and any legal guardian with you when you leave your home and you should give this disposal to your general practitioner and to your relatives and if already possible you should lodge it at the guardianship court.
 

Examples of living wills, which arrange the sudden or gradual entry in the acceptance-disability are barely available in your country. Such a disposal can be:
 

"If I suffer at the entry of my acceptance disability on an illness which will untreated be caused death or suchlike will arise later I will contradict the therapy. The therapy has to be confined on the abatement of anguish and aches. This is valid for coronary heart deseases and also for a heart attack.

If I have a pacemaker it has to be turned off, even if this may lead to a cardiac arrest one day.

I am to be vaccinated against flu but not against pneumocccus anymore.

If I am on the verge to run away, an armlet should be affixed on my clothes which brands me as disabled, a chit with my adress and phone number should be plugged in my bag, and a minisender should be hung around my neck or be fixed around my ankle so that I can be found by a locating system.

If I live on my one and I am not able to look after myself any longer, you shouldn’t accommodate me in a traditionally nursing home but in an house community.

If I don’t eat and drink of my own accord any longer as a result of dementia so you are allowed in fact to offer me further food, you dare administer it, if I can’t manage on my own to lead it into my mouth, you are not allowed to blandish me, in the way you would do it with a little child, but you have to respect absolutely my possible defensiveness. In this case one may only supply me with water through a PEG, so that my renal function isn’t broke down. The same applies even if I become unconscious after I have previously ingested no or only little food. At this point, you should let me die in dignity and only if necessary to facilitate me the end.

In case of my unconsciousness or coma vigil you should give me from (you have to insert the month) only water.

In case of my brain death you are allowed to extract every utulisable organ.

In both cases you should take every utulisable webbing out."

Back to contents