The PDF for this issue which includes footnotes and endnotes can be found at here.
According to a 2018 national survey conducted by The Conversation Project, while 92% of people say it is important to discuss their wishes for end-of-life care, only 32% have had such conversations. These statistics show that while advanced planning is important, many people do not create plans for their future care or nominate people to make decisions in the event of their later incapacity.
Take this common scenario: Ms. Smith is admitted to the hospital with late-stage dementia and heart failure. She lives alone and does not have any identifiable friends or family members. Due to her cognitive and functional limitations, doctors at the hospital have determined that she is unable to make decisions regarding her care and are recommending 24-hour care and supervision. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith did not engage in advanced care planning and does not have a Power of Attorney or Health Care Representative that can make decisions on her behalf. As a result, the hospital will likely seek a court-appointed guardian or health care representative because advanced planning did not occur.