Make end-of-life care wishes known with free forms

If you were in a hospital or nursing home and couldn’t communicate, who would speak for you? Would they know your preferences about life-prolonging care and measures?

It can be uncomfortable to talk about death and dying, but planning your end-of-life decisions in advance can save both you and your loved ones a lot of stress. 

The Missouri Bar works to make the process easier with free materials authored by volunteer lawyers. Any Missourian can use these forms to set up their own durable power of attorney for health care and advance health care directive.

While these resources are available year-round, The Missouri Bar recognizes National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) on April 16 in hopes of encouraging citizens to take the steps to put their end-of-life health care wishes in writing. Hosted by The Conversation Project, NHDD is a national effort that promotes important advance health care decisions through public education efforts. 

The free Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Health Care Directive forms in both English and Spanish. Residents can request printed copies of the form booklets by calling 573-635-4128 or ordering online. 

To learn more about NHDD and access the available tools for starting end-of-life conversations, visit theconversationproject.org/nhdd/.

The Missouri Bar is a statewide organization that is dedicated to improving the legal profession, the law and the administration of justice for all Missourians. Created in 1944 by order of the Supreme Court of Missouri, it serves all 30,000 of Missouri’s practicing lawyers. The Missouri Bar provides a wide range of services and resources to its members, as well as the media, educators and the citizens of Missouri. To learn more about The Missouri Bar, visit MoBar.org and MissouriLawyersHelp.org.