Can you write about seniors getting a living will done before it’s too late? When my husband of 47 years died last year, I was not prepared for the difficult medical decisions I had to make. I know that for many of us, death is an uncomfortable subject but you can’t avoid the unavoidable so you need to be prepared, and so does your family.

Prepared In Pittsburgh

Dear Prepared,

You’re right! You can’t avoid the unavoidable. Being prepared and getting one’s personal affairs in order is a smart move. We all have a right to decide what kind and how much care we want, or don’t want, when death is expected. The question is, how do you want to live your last chapter?

Talk About It

Having direct conversations is the best thing you can do to plan for the end of life. Decisions about end-of-life medical treatments are personal and should be based on your values and beliefs.

After you’ve decided what you want, talk with your:

• Family and friends. You can then tell them what your preferences are before a crisis occurs. This will help them make informed decisions about your preferences if you’re not able to.

• Doctor. You can tell your doctor what’s important to you so they can honor your wishes while providing medical care.

• Clergy or spiritual advisor. You can discuss ethical, moral and religious implications of the decisions you are thinking about.

Savvy Fact: Eighty percent of Americans who die each year in hospitals, hospices or nursing homes from chronic illnesses are confronted with decisions about continuing or stopping life-sustaining treatment.

Advance Directives

Advance directive is a general term that describes two kinds of legal documents that will spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment. It includes a:

• Living will (or health care directive), which allows you to document your wishes concerning me- dical treatments at the end of life.

• Medical powers of attorney (or health care proxy), which allows you to appoint a person you trust as your health care agent, who is authorized to make medical decisions on your behalf.

These documents allow a person to give specific instructions about their future medical care and appoint someone to make decisions for them if they are unable to do so. The person appointed should clearly understand your wishes and be willing to carry them out.

Savvy Note: Advance directives documents become effective only when you can no longer make or communicate decisions for yourself. Also note that each state regulates the use of advance directives differently.

Savvy Resources

• Partnership for Caring: A national organization, that offers a variety of services including copies of documents that are specific to each state. They also offer free counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help people make decisions about living wills, medical power of attorney, and end-of-life decisions. Call 1-800-989-9455 or visit www.partnershipforcaring.org.

• AARP - Planning for Incapacity: A $10 guide that contains all you need to know how to make your health care wishes known and contains forms that comply with your state’s laws. To order call 202-434-2197 and be sure to specify your state.

• Last Acts: Offers families information about options at the end of life. Visit www.lastacts.org

• 5 Wishes: Offers a simplified advance directives form for $5, that is a useful guide to determining your own wishes and is legally valid in most states. www.agingwithdignity.org

• Medicare: Offers The Medicare Hospice Benefits booklet free. View it online at www.medicare.gov or order it by calling 1-800-633-4227.

• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organi-zation: The NHPCO describes hospice and palliative care and helps people find a program service near them. www.nhpco.org.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book.