A Thomson Reuters survey of more than 3,000 U.S. households found that 57 percent of Americans had made their end-of-life care choices known. Nearly three-quarters of people over 65 and about a third of individuals under 35 had voiced their wishes. This is encouraging. These figures are substantially higher than those traditionally reported in academic literature or even in similar surveys.
Among those respondents who conveyed their end-of-life preferences, 87 percent chose informal communication with family, friends, or loved ones to express their wishes. Sixty percent had created a living will, and 50 percent chose to employ a healthcare power of attorney.
People over 65 were more likely to chose a living will or healthcare power of attorney, while younger adults tended to opt for informal communication. Those who took formal steps over informal communication - particularly those in higher income brackets - received legal assistance preparing their document.
The survey found that about 10 percent of participants had made a medical decision for another person in the last 12 months, and in over half of those cases a living will or a medical directive was available.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar