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March 2, 2024

Empowering Yourself: End-of-Life Planning with Advanced Directives

Empowering Yourself: End-of-Life Planning with Advanced Directives

This healthcare lecture discusses advanced directives, legal documents specifying your medical wishes for situations where you cannot communicate them.
 
Key points:
Importance: Advanced directives give you control over end-of-life care and ensure yo...

This healthcare lecture discusses advanced directives, legal documents specifying your medical wishes for situations where you cannot communicate them.

 

Key points:

  • Importance: Advanced directives give you control over end-of-life care and ensure your wishes are respected.
  • Who needs them: People over 60, those with chronic illnesses, and individuals with advanced dementia are highly encouraged to have them.
  • Components: Living will (medical treatment preferences) and durable power of attorney (who makes decisions on your behalf).
  • Benefits: Reduces family burden and ensures smoother transitions during critical situations.
  • Creation: Ideally done with your doctor during a checkup. Requires two witnesses (not related to you or involved in your care) or a notary for validation.
  • Action: Take charge of your healthcare future. Discuss advanced directives with your doctor and loved ones.
Transcript
1 00:00:00,890 --> 00:00:02,730 Coming up on this episode of the HWWP. 2 00:00:04,450 --> 00:00:09,140 One of the things that happened in 2010, that was a law that was passed 3 00:00:09,420 --> 00:00:11,059 called the Affordable Healthcare Act. 4 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:16,670 And this law is probably the most dramatic impact on healthcare as any other law in 5 00:00:16,670 --> 00:00:21,696 this country probably more than Medicare and some people call it Obamacare and 6 00:00:21,696 --> 00:00:25,436 a lot of things that this law did, but one of the things that it codified. 7 00:00:26,766 --> 00:00:29,386 Welcome to the Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise podcast with Dr. 8 00:00:29,386 --> 00:00:29,986 William T. 9 00:00:29,996 --> 00:00:30,546 Choctaw. 10 00:00:30,706 --> 00:00:35,506 MDJD, where the doctor helps you unlock your full potential by equipping 11 00:00:35,506 --> 00:00:39,906 you with tools and knowledge in the areas of health, wealth, and wisdom. 12 00:00:40,216 --> 00:00:44,146 Anchored in his experience as a business executive, a physician 13 00:00:44,146 --> 00:00:49,026 surveyor for the joint commission, a former mayor, and over 50 years 14 00:00:49,036 --> 00:00:50,906 of experience as a general surgeon. 15 00:00:51,406 --> 00:00:53,446 You've got questions, he's got answers. 16 00:00:53,986 --> 00:00:54,846 So let's get started. 17 00:00:55,486 --> 00:00:56,086 Here's Dr. 18 00:00:56,086 --> 00:00:56,676 William T. 19 00:00:56,696 --> 00:00:58,066 Choctaw, MDJD. 20 00:01:00,316 --> 00:01:00,946 Good morning. 21 00:01:01,566 --> 00:01:01,926 Good morning. 22 00:01:02,696 --> 00:01:06,156 Thank you very much for having me present to you this morning. 23 00:01:06,486 --> 00:01:08,766 Could we have the first slide please? 24 00:01:08,831 --> 00:01:12,411 We're going to work something a little different here. 25 00:01:13,281 --> 00:01:15,751 We're going to talk about advanced health directives. 26 00:01:15,781 --> 00:01:20,371 I'm a physician, I'm a general surgeon, and I've been in practice over 50 years. 27 00:01:20,401 --> 00:01:22,071 Actually, I'm a general trauma surgeon. 28 00:01:22,771 --> 00:01:27,321 So a lot of times when patients come to me, they're in pretty bad shape, 29 00:01:27,471 --> 00:01:29,241 and we move very, very quickly. 30 00:01:29,616 --> 00:01:30,636 to get things done. 31 00:01:31,126 --> 00:01:36,596 At the same time having been in practice for about 50 years or so, I, I've seen 32 00:01:36,596 --> 00:01:41,046 a lot of patients that I've gone to know, many in this church and other 33 00:01:41,056 --> 00:01:45,276 places, and so I've been a part of their lives, and I want to share some of that 34 00:01:45,276 --> 00:01:49,586 with you, particularly as it has to do with advanced health care directives. 35 00:01:49,586 --> 00:01:50,546 Next slide, please. 36 00:01:51,931 --> 00:01:54,311 I always like to put up a little outline because I want you to 37 00:01:54,311 --> 00:01:55,681 know what I'm going to talk about. 38 00:01:56,001 --> 00:02:00,351 And I'm, I'm keeping my eye on the lady in the back to make sure that I 39 00:02:00,361 --> 00:02:02,461 don't get in trouble by going over. 40 00:02:02,461 --> 00:02:04,711 But we're going to talk about end of life issues. 41 00:02:04,991 --> 00:02:06,011 Go back please. 42 00:02:06,921 --> 00:02:09,851 We're going to talk about end of life issues, we're going to talk about the 43 00:02:09,851 --> 00:02:12,301 definition of advanced directives. 44 00:02:12,311 --> 00:02:15,641 It can get a little confusing, and I'm going to try to see if I can 45 00:02:15,681 --> 00:02:17,351 simplify it as much as possible. 46 00:02:17,351 --> 00:02:21,331 We're going to talk about notary and then about the who, what, 47 00:02:21,371 --> 00:02:24,351 and how of advanced directives. 48 00:02:24,351 --> 00:02:25,306 Next slide, please. 49 00:02:26,446 --> 00:02:30,576 When I graduated from medical school in 1973, and some of you weren't even 50 00:02:30,576 --> 00:02:35,736 born in 1973, I certainly appreciate that, but when I graduated from medical 51 00:02:35,736 --> 00:02:41,536 school, I felt that my job was to save lives and stamp out disease. 52 00:02:42,146 --> 00:02:43,396 No question about it. 53 00:02:43,586 --> 00:02:46,486 My job is to keep people alive at all costs. 54 00:02:46,811 --> 00:02:47,381 No matter what. 55 00:02:48,411 --> 00:02:52,521 But as I got a little older, over those 50 years that I've been in practice, 56 00:02:52,841 --> 00:02:55,691 I would have patients who would come into my office, and I remember 57 00:02:55,721 --> 00:03:01,531 particularly one lady who was a part of my family, and she was 80 years old. 58 00:03:01,936 --> 00:03:04,986 And she was a good, a young 80, we call a young 80, you know, 59 00:03:05,026 --> 00:03:06,426 active, doing different things. 60 00:03:06,766 --> 00:03:09,546 And I would say to her, I said, you know, my major, I said, you know, you're going 61 00:03:09,546 --> 00:03:12,136 to, you're going to be 100 years old. 62 00:03:12,196 --> 00:03:14,376 You know, I said, you're, you're, you're really going well. 63 00:03:14,726 --> 00:03:17,906 And she would look at me and she said, I don't want to live to be 100. 64 00:03:18,606 --> 00:03:20,206 I said, of course you do, mommy. 65 00:03:20,286 --> 00:03:21,566 I said, you know, everybody wants to. 66 00:03:21,926 --> 00:03:24,656 She said, no, I'm not interested in being a hundred. 67 00:03:26,076 --> 00:03:27,506 She said, I've lived a good life. 68 00:03:28,126 --> 00:03:32,536 You know, and she was, she was a retired surgical nurse, by the way and 69 00:03:32,596 --> 00:03:34,416 active in the church, in her church. 70 00:03:34,686 --> 00:03:39,976 And what, what I learned from that was different people want different things. 71 00:03:40,931 --> 00:03:43,751 Now my mind is, I say, oh yeah, I want to be a hundred, I want 72 00:03:43,751 --> 00:03:44,741 to be a hundred and twenty. 73 00:03:44,981 --> 00:03:48,131 But there are people who say, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 74 00:03:48,181 --> 00:03:49,661 I, I, I don't want to be a hundred. 75 00:03:50,391 --> 00:03:52,281 And so next slide please. 76 00:03:54,181 --> 00:03:54,461 Next slide. 77 00:03:55,011 --> 00:03:57,411 Physicians have a duty to inform. 78 00:03:57,931 --> 00:04:00,041 Patients have a right to refuse. 79 00:04:00,601 --> 00:04:01,931 You know, I can say, well Mrs. 80 00:04:01,931 --> 00:04:04,091 Jones, I want you to do X, Y, and Z. 81 00:04:04,571 --> 00:04:04,891 Mrs. 82 00:04:04,891 --> 00:04:06,721 Jones can say, thank you very much Dr. 83 00:04:06,721 --> 00:04:08,301 Choctaw, but I don't think so. 84 00:04:09,356 --> 00:04:10,176 I don't think so. 85 00:04:10,496 --> 00:04:11,196 What's my point? 86 00:04:11,196 --> 00:04:13,746 My point is embrace your rights. 87 00:04:14,596 --> 00:04:18,606 You know, you see your physician, whoever he or she may be, but remember 88 00:04:18,616 --> 00:04:20,266 you're the one that's in control. 89 00:04:20,266 --> 00:04:21,186 Next slide please. 90 00:04:22,876 --> 00:04:27,926 So, one of the big changes that has occurred and I say this a lot of 91 00:04:27,926 --> 00:04:31,516 times when I talk to my physician colleagues and they're all upset 92 00:04:31,516 --> 00:04:33,116 about something and blah, blah, blah. 93 00:04:33,476 --> 00:04:37,286 And I would say to them, you know what doctors, it's no longer about you. 94 00:04:38,516 --> 00:04:39,776 It's no longer about you. 95 00:04:39,866 --> 00:04:42,046 It used to be about us, doctors. 96 00:04:42,846 --> 00:04:46,056 73, when I graduated from Yale, we could do anything we 97 00:04:46,056 --> 00:04:47,146 want because we were doctors. 98 00:04:47,896 --> 00:04:50,516 The world of health care revolved around us. 99 00:04:50,906 --> 00:04:53,356 That is no longer the case. 100 00:04:53,776 --> 00:04:55,286 It's about the patient. 101 00:04:56,316 --> 00:04:57,096 Patient rights. 102 00:04:57,846 --> 00:04:58,821 What's my point? 103 00:04:58,821 --> 00:05:00,026 My point is you have rights. 104 00:05:00,716 --> 00:05:01,906 Embrace your rights. 105 00:05:01,906 --> 00:05:02,776 Next slide, please. 106 00:05:04,426 --> 00:05:09,836 So who are these people who are most likely in need of an advanced directive? 107 00:05:11,516 --> 00:05:12,676 Older patients. 108 00:05:13,276 --> 00:05:17,186 Now my definition of older patients is going to be people over 60 years of age. 109 00:05:17,426 --> 00:05:20,626 Now already I apologize to you 60 year olds in the audience. 110 00:05:20,626 --> 00:05:24,216 Because you said, I am not old. 111 00:05:24,256 --> 00:05:25,486 I, I understand. 112 00:05:25,536 --> 00:05:26,426 I understand. 113 00:05:26,796 --> 00:05:28,756 But I, I had to pick an age. 114 00:05:29,026 --> 00:05:31,006 So I just arbitrarily chose 60. 115 00:05:31,036 --> 00:05:32,676 So please don't be offended. 116 00:05:32,766 --> 00:05:32,986 Yeah. 117 00:05:33,246 --> 00:05:35,556 You of course will live forever and I'm not talking to you. 118 00:05:35,556 --> 00:05:38,716 Okay. 119 00:05:38,716 --> 00:05:40,636 So older adults, obviously. 120 00:05:40,996 --> 00:05:46,406 As we get older, it becomes more challenging for us to 121 00:05:46,406 --> 00:05:48,046 deal with the different issues. 122 00:05:49,306 --> 00:05:52,066 And so it's one of the things where you want to start that planning 123 00:05:52,076 --> 00:05:55,806 that Attorney Brown talked about, because a lot of that takes time. 124 00:05:56,066 --> 00:05:57,286 It's confusing. 125 00:05:57,286 --> 00:05:57,926 It takes effort. 126 00:05:58,646 --> 00:06:01,936 And he did a remarkable job going through that in 10 or 15 minutes. 127 00:06:02,866 --> 00:06:05,376 Severe chronic illness, there are a lot of patients who have 128 00:06:05,376 --> 00:06:09,786 a lot of chronic illnesses that makes it more difficult for them. 129 00:06:10,336 --> 00:06:13,616 To take care of themselves and they just get tired. 130 00:06:14,381 --> 00:06:15,571 They just get tired. 131 00:06:16,001 --> 00:06:19,551 And my point is that this is when you want to start planning, 132 00:06:19,551 --> 00:06:20,871 if not even before then. 133 00:06:21,171 --> 00:06:23,771 And then individuals with advanced in dementia. 134 00:06:23,771 --> 00:06:25,731 Now let me say, dementia means forgetfulness. 135 00:06:27,031 --> 00:06:30,411 Let me say there is a normal type of forgetfulness. 136 00:06:31,191 --> 00:06:32,721 that occurs in all of us. 137 00:06:32,971 --> 00:06:36,741 You know, we all forget our glasses, we forget our keys, and that sort of thing. 138 00:06:37,061 --> 00:06:40,791 So, if, if you are forgetting something, or you're forgetting a little more, 139 00:06:41,051 --> 00:06:43,151 I am not, I'm not talking about you. 140 00:06:43,611 --> 00:06:44,161 Okay? 141 00:06:44,191 --> 00:06:46,391 I, I'm not saying that you've got dementia. 142 00:06:46,781 --> 00:06:48,291 I'm just saying, you just have normal forgetfulness. 143 00:06:49,251 --> 00:06:49,641 Okay? 144 00:06:49,941 --> 00:06:54,601 Example of normal forgetfulness is forgetting your keys, or losing your keys. 145 00:06:54,651 --> 00:06:55,011 Okay? 146 00:06:55,686 --> 00:07:00,606 But dementia can go on to severe types of dementia, or the extreme 147 00:07:00,656 --> 00:07:03,716 types where you get into things like Alzheimer's and others. 148 00:07:04,136 --> 00:07:10,386 So, to make that even more dramatic, if you forget your keys and then 149 00:07:10,386 --> 00:07:14,376 you find them on the kitchen table or in the bedroom, that's just 150 00:07:14,376 --> 00:07:15,976 basically normal forgetfulness. 151 00:07:16,546 --> 00:07:19,736 But if you forget your keys and they're in the refrigerator, 152 00:07:21,416 --> 00:07:23,146 then that's a problem, right? 153 00:07:23,506 --> 00:07:23,726 Right? 154 00:07:23,736 --> 00:07:24,546 You get my drift? 155 00:07:25,466 --> 00:07:28,286 So it depends on where you are on that spectrum. 156 00:07:28,526 --> 00:07:33,666 All of us, I'm 76 years old, all of us, I clearly forget stuff, 157 00:07:34,026 --> 00:07:35,606 all of us are on that spectrum. 158 00:07:35,606 --> 00:07:38,056 But if you're just with normal forgetfulness, that's okay. 159 00:07:38,056 --> 00:07:42,046 But my point is, do it now when it's not a problem so you 160 00:07:42,046 --> 00:07:42,896 don't have to worry about it. 161 00:07:42,896 --> 00:07:43,606 Next slide, please. 162 00:07:45,386 --> 00:07:45,886 Next slide. 163 00:07:46,416 --> 00:07:53,176 So, advanced directives is an umbrella term, an umbrella term for all 164 00:07:53,176 --> 00:07:54,626 those things that are under there. 165 00:07:54,936 --> 00:07:58,966 You know, the wills and trusts that Attorney Brown talked about do not 166 00:07:58,966 --> 00:08:01,466 resuscitate power of attorney, et cetera. 167 00:08:01,466 --> 00:08:01,966 Next slide, please. 168 00:08:04,391 --> 00:08:08,501 Other examples of advanced directives have to do with funeral arrangements 169 00:08:08,501 --> 00:08:11,091 and, and health care decisions. 170 00:08:11,491 --> 00:08:14,881 And again, the legal types of things that you would put in a will. 171 00:08:15,181 --> 00:08:19,211 One of the ways to remember about advanced directives is to turn the name around. 172 00:08:19,631 --> 00:08:22,271 It is given direction in advance. 173 00:08:23,231 --> 00:08:24,741 Okay, that's all it means. 174 00:08:25,021 --> 00:08:29,331 Advanced directors means giving direction in advance. 175 00:08:29,601 --> 00:08:31,351 And so you want to do that now. 176 00:08:31,351 --> 00:08:33,531 You want to do it while it's not a major problem. 177 00:08:34,031 --> 00:08:37,461 You want to do it while you're not very ill. 178 00:08:37,491 --> 00:08:38,271 Next slide please. 179 00:08:39,846 --> 00:08:43,716 Because we don't want you to be in this situation where maybe you 180 00:08:43,716 --> 00:08:46,916 are not conscious, where maybe you cannot speak, or whether maybe you 181 00:08:46,916 --> 00:08:49,096 don't even remember where you are. 182 00:08:49,856 --> 00:08:53,006 And one of the reasons why this has become a big, big deal is 183 00:08:53,006 --> 00:08:54,436 we've just coming out of COVID. 184 00:08:54,896 --> 00:08:56,966 And we've lost a lot of people in COVID. 185 00:08:56,966 --> 00:08:59,186 Thousands and thousands of people per day. 186 00:08:59,911 --> 00:09:02,831 Not per year, not per month, not per week, per day. 187 00:09:03,361 --> 00:09:08,231 And the hospitals have all been overloaded and that sort of thing, and 188 00:09:08,231 --> 00:09:13,641 it's highlighted the whole issue of advanced directives because everybody 189 00:09:13,951 --> 00:09:17,821 does not want to be resuscitated every single time their heart stops. 190 00:09:17,861 --> 00:09:18,731 Next slide please. 191 00:09:20,571 --> 00:09:23,041 Studies have shown that there are a lot of people who are interested in 192 00:09:23,051 --> 00:09:25,981 advanced erection and heard about it, but very few people have done it. 193 00:09:26,281 --> 00:09:29,941 And so what we're trying to do with this program today and other things is 194 00:09:29,951 --> 00:09:32,531 to get that 29 percent up much higher. 195 00:09:32,581 --> 00:09:33,421 Next slide please. 196 00:09:35,526 --> 00:09:38,916 An advanced directive is just a living will, a piece of paper, next 197 00:09:38,916 --> 00:09:40,596 slide please, it's a legal document. 198 00:09:40,916 --> 00:09:44,926 There are two main parts of an advanced directive, the living will that Attorney 199 00:09:44,926 --> 00:09:48,286 Brown talked about, and something called the durable power of attorney. 200 00:09:48,576 --> 00:09:50,636 The durable power of attorney is the who. 201 00:09:50,646 --> 00:09:53,976 You may say, you know, I want my son Preston to be in charge of 202 00:09:53,976 --> 00:09:55,956 everything that happens to me. 203 00:09:56,326 --> 00:09:57,026 Next slide please. 204 00:09:58,951 --> 00:10:02,131 So, very quickly, what are some of the things medically, and I'm 205 00:10:02,131 --> 00:10:05,841 just talking about the medical part DNR, do not resuscitate. 206 00:10:05,841 --> 00:10:11,041 Some patients may say, you know what, I've been in and out of the hospital 207 00:10:11,171 --> 00:10:15,041 for X amount of time, and if my heart stops this time, just let me go. 208 00:10:16,166 --> 00:10:17,076 Just let me go. 209 00:10:17,486 --> 00:10:20,036 Now, I may say, Oh my God, I would never do that. 210 00:10:20,036 --> 00:10:24,716 I, you know, I would want you to jump on my chest every single time my heart stops. 211 00:10:24,716 --> 00:10:27,636 But that's me. 212 00:10:27,976 --> 00:10:30,676 That's not, that may not be you, right? 213 00:10:31,206 --> 00:10:33,366 And so again, what have we learned? 214 00:10:33,376 --> 00:10:37,936 We've learned is that you have that right to decide what 215 00:10:37,956 --> 00:10:40,206 happens to you and your health. 216 00:10:40,496 --> 00:10:45,186 I don't have that right to dictate that to you or force you to do it a certain way. 217 00:10:45,686 --> 00:10:49,416 Do not resuscitate does not mean do not treat. 218 00:10:50,096 --> 00:10:55,486 Do not resuscitate means that if my heart stops, you do not do CPR, but you 219 00:10:55,486 --> 00:10:59,566 still give me medication, you still give me tube feedings, you still give me IV 220 00:10:59,596 --> 00:11:01,386 fluids, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. 221 00:11:01,866 --> 00:11:02,786 Next slide please. 222 00:11:03,981 --> 00:11:07,511 Durable power of attorney, Attorney Brown has already addressed some of that, 223 00:11:07,511 --> 00:11:12,261 but you can in your advance directive designate somebody to be your, to be 224 00:11:12,271 --> 00:11:14,681 the who, who's in charge of everything. 225 00:11:14,751 --> 00:11:15,671 Next slide please. 226 00:11:17,191 --> 00:11:22,001 Again in the state of California, the advance directives is, includes durable 227 00:11:22,021 --> 00:11:23,921 power of attorney and a living will. 228 00:11:24,331 --> 00:11:26,871 Living will just means a will that you make while you're 229 00:11:26,871 --> 00:11:28,111 alive, which makes sense. 230 00:11:28,111 --> 00:11:28,721 Next slide please. 231 00:11:30,846 --> 00:11:34,006 The ideal time to do an advanced directive, quite honestly, 232 00:11:34,026 --> 00:11:35,346 is in a doctor's office. 233 00:11:35,576 --> 00:11:39,686 When you go in for your regular checkup, you know, say, you know what, Dr. 234 00:11:39,686 --> 00:11:43,106 Choctaw, I think I want to do one of those advanced directive things. 235 00:11:43,426 --> 00:11:46,166 Most doctors, and many doctors, will already have the forms there. 236 00:11:46,176 --> 00:11:50,126 If not, when you go to a hospital for a hospital visit, say to the 237 00:11:50,126 --> 00:11:52,976 people at the window, you know, I think I want to fill out one of 238 00:11:52,976 --> 00:11:54,606 those advanced directive things. 239 00:11:54,926 --> 00:11:56,296 And you can easily do that. 240 00:11:56,296 --> 00:11:57,126 Next slide, please. 241 00:11:59,721 --> 00:12:02,991 If you do it in the doctor's office, the patient is awake, you don't have 242 00:12:02,991 --> 00:12:05,631 to rush, it's a lot of stuff going on. 243 00:12:06,001 --> 00:12:09,921 Particularly when you become, in my area, in the hospital. 244 00:12:09,921 --> 00:12:10,671 Next slide please. 245 00:12:11,861 --> 00:12:14,731 Again, advanced directives you got to have two witnesses, 246 00:12:14,731 --> 00:12:16,061 as Attorney Brown mentioned. 247 00:12:16,351 --> 00:12:18,821 We're talking about the state of California now, and now this may 248 00:12:18,851 --> 00:12:20,681 vary whatever state you live in. 249 00:12:20,961 --> 00:12:25,381 If you live in Texas or Illinois or whatever, it may be a little different. 250 00:12:25,381 --> 00:12:27,071 But we're talking about the state of California. 251 00:12:27,071 --> 00:12:27,981 Next slide, please. 252 00:12:29,191 --> 00:12:31,071 You got to sign the advanced directive. 253 00:12:31,381 --> 00:12:33,621 It's got to be validated and you got to be competent. 254 00:12:33,631 --> 00:12:34,131 Next slide. 255 00:12:36,171 --> 00:12:39,681 Exceptions in terms of the people who can witness in the state of California, 256 00:12:40,231 --> 00:12:41,961 they cannot be your health care agent. 257 00:12:42,141 --> 00:12:45,251 It can't be anybody who's involved with your care because that would be 258 00:12:45,251 --> 00:12:47,501 considered a conflict of interest. 259 00:12:47,501 --> 00:12:48,171 Next slide please. 260 00:12:48,316 --> 00:12:51,716 And additionally, one of the two witnesses cannot be related to 261 00:12:51,716 --> 00:12:55,336 you, so that again, it does end up being a conflict of interest. 262 00:12:55,336 --> 00:12:58,976 I've got three minutes left, and I'm, I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get there. 263 00:12:59,146 --> 00:12:59,626 Next slide please. 264 00:12:59,626 --> 00:13:07,921 If, if, You choose not to have witnesses, then you have a notary, and Attorney Brown 265 00:13:08,391 --> 00:13:10,791 has already gone over that specifically. 266 00:13:10,831 --> 00:13:14,521 But you have, just like you would notarize property, you have someone 267 00:13:14,521 --> 00:13:17,531 to notarize your advanced erect. 268 00:13:17,591 --> 00:13:19,171 Most hospitals should have that. 269 00:13:19,451 --> 00:13:21,241 Some doctors offices might have that. 270 00:13:21,311 --> 00:13:22,331 Next slide, please. 271 00:13:23,471 --> 00:13:26,721 Again, you gotta have a driver's license to identify who you 272 00:13:26,721 --> 00:13:28,011 are and that you're competent. 273 00:13:28,021 --> 00:13:29,111 Next slide, please. 274 00:13:30,341 --> 00:13:36,606 So, if we do what we're supposed to do, As physicians, as attorneys but 275 00:13:36,606 --> 00:13:41,126 more importantly as citizens, and we embrace our rights and, and, and, 276 00:13:41,126 --> 00:13:42,906 and do what we're supposed to do. 277 00:13:43,276 --> 00:13:48,786 Then those, those, those final years can be a very, very smooth transition for us. 278 00:13:49,126 --> 00:13:52,066 And both children and parents are happy. 279 00:13:52,456 --> 00:13:55,466 And then we go ahead where we're supposed to go. 280 00:13:55,506 --> 00:13:56,406 Next slide please. 281 00:13:58,096 --> 00:14:04,046 So basically, just remember that chronic illnesses and memory issues are times to 282 00:14:04,046 --> 00:14:05,466 start considering advanced directives. 283 00:14:05,886 --> 00:14:08,016 Actually, you can do an advanced directive any time. 284 00:14:08,376 --> 00:14:13,006 That you can use an attorney, but you don't have to use an attorney. 285 00:14:13,376 --> 00:14:16,866 But if, if you do use an attorney, I would suggest that you get an 286 00:14:16,866 --> 00:14:18,396 attorney like Attorney Brown. 287 00:14:18,966 --> 00:14:20,896 Some of you may not know Bernie. 288 00:14:21,756 --> 00:14:22,636 Bernie's been a member of St. 289 00:14:22,636 --> 00:14:23,986 Stephen's for years. 290 00:14:24,261 --> 00:14:27,561 He's, he sits on the Board of Directors for Servants Arms Food 291 00:14:27,571 --> 00:14:29,901 Bank for 10 consecutive years. 292 00:14:30,331 --> 00:14:31,981 And he's been, here, here. 293 00:14:34,251 --> 00:14:37,771 And he's a very good friend of mine, so I, I, I'm just delighted 294 00:14:38,111 --> 00:14:41,091 that you've been able to see why he's such an outstanding person. 295 00:14:41,491 --> 00:14:42,461 Next slide please. 296 00:14:43,961 --> 00:14:48,271 So, in conclusion, I have one minute left, in conclusion. 297 00:14:52,221 --> 00:14:56,491 Be sure, one of the things we say in the leadership masterclass 298 00:14:56,491 --> 00:14:57,881 is that knowledge is power. 299 00:14:58,831 --> 00:15:00,111 Knowledge is power. 300 00:15:00,961 --> 00:15:03,111 My message to you. 301 00:15:03,321 --> 00:15:08,601 It's to empower yourself and make sure that you have control over 302 00:15:08,601 --> 00:15:10,076 the last few years of your life. 303 00:15:10,566 --> 00:15:11,721 Thank you very much. 304 00:15:15,951 --> 00:15:18,561 Thank you for listening to this episode of the Healthy, wealthy, 305 00:15:18,561 --> 00:15:20,709 and Wise Podcast with Dr. 306 00:15:20,709 --> 00:15:22,731 William t Choctaw, md. 307 00:15:23,901 --> 00:15:27,411 Be sure to check out other great episodes covering areas of health, 308 00:15:27,621 --> 00:15:32,756 wealth, and wisdom at WW Watch. 309 00:15:33,261 --> 00:15:36,341 you there, be sure to check out the books, blogs, and other 310 00:15:36,341 --> 00:15:38,491 literature in your preferred format. 311 00:15:38,891 --> 00:15:43,511 And don't forget to leave a review, subscribe, share, and support the podcast. 312 00:15:44,371 --> 00:15:45,501 That's at thwwp. 313 00:15:47,431 --> 00:15:47,611 com. 314 00:15:48,151 --> 00:15:51,851 You've been listening to the Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise podcast with Dr. 315 00:15:52,071 --> 00:15:52,551 William T. 316 00:15:52,551 --> 00:15:55,976 Choctaw, MD, JB.