SDCCC’s April Speaker is Nathan Kottkamp, Founder of National Healthcare Decisions Day
Join SDCCC on Thursday, April 23rd, at 3 PM for a very special speaker this month, Nathan Kottkamp, the founder of National Healthcare Decisions Day, April 16. This year celebrates twenty years since the movement was initiated and 18 years of national involvement.
What is SDCCC?
The San Diego Coalition for Compassionate Care (SDCCC) was founded in 2016 after obtaining a grant from the California Health Care Foundation (CHFD) to expand the mission of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC). The mission of the CCCC is to standardize the use and implementation of the Physicians Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
What is National Healthcare Decisions Day?
National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) was founded in 2008 by Virginia attorney Nathan Kottkamp. The goal of NHDD is to get every adult aged 18 to fill out an Advance Healthcare Directive. The idea came to Nate when he filled out his first Advance Healthcare Directive (AHD) at the age of twenty. In 2006, realizing that many of his peers and elders in the community were unaware of its importance, he started working with hospitals in his home state of Virginia, educating healthcare providers. The event was so successful that in 2008, he brought it to the national stage.
Today, we celebrate NHDD on April 16th to follow Tax Day on April 15th. After all, the two unavoidable life events are death and taxes. And we have to pay our taxes first.
What is an Advance Healthcare Directive?
An Advance Health Care Directive (AHD) is a written, signed, and witnessed document that outlines who will speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself. It details your wishes around certain life-sustaining treatments and organ donation options. There are a variety of AHD to choose from, including the State Probate form.
Unlike the POLST form, AHD doesn’t require a medical professional’s signature to be valid. It’s a document that can be revised at any time. I recommend using the Five D’s to determine if your AHD still meets your needs. The Five D’s are:
- Death: Has your agent or alternative agent died?
- Divorce: Is your ex-spouse your agent? Are you comfortable leaving them to speak for you when you’re unable to speak for yourself?
- Diagnosis: Have you or your agent been diagnosed with a life-limiting diagnosis? Or a neurological disorder like dementia?
- Distance: Have you or your agent moved out of state or country? If so, this is a good time to revisit your AHD agent and alternative agents.
- December: It’s helpful to revisit your AHD each December to make sure it’s up-to-date with your values, medical advancements, and current lifestyle.
