I think a quality health care directive numbers each paragraph. I believe one of the first couple of paragraphs on a living will identifies allergies. This includes:
- Drug allergies,
- Food allergies,
- Botanical allergies,
- Pet allergies, and
- Any other allergy known or expected.
Allergies on a Health Care Directive: No Known Allergies?
If there are no known allergies, then the section devoted to allergies should be clearly state “no known allergies”. Do not get fancy by using an acronym. I promise nobody has time decode your health care directive when times get crazy.
Allergies on a Health Care Directive: Why I use Red Ink
The reason I use red ink to identify allergies is obvious: I want everybody and anybody working on me or making decisions on my behalf to know about my allergies.
Look, lets not make this hard. When times get difficult, everybody needs to know.
Allergies on a Health Care Directive: I wear a Bracelet
If you wear a bracelet or another document that contradicts your health care directive, then more problems can develop. I believe a product person identifies their bracelet within their living will to reduce ambiguity.
Healthcare Directive Doesn’t Have Room for Allergies
If it doesn’t have a section, make a section. Running out of room is a horrible excuse. As a result, I am not going to entertain this any further.
Should you update your Health Care Directive?
As our health changes, so does our health care directive. Please take time to update one of the last pieces of paper that can pull you through a difficult time when you cannot.
High School and College Students with Allergies
If your child is leaving for college soon, then now is the time to start talking about the topic of getting stuck and needing help. Whether you have an allergy or not, I truly believe it is in our children’s best interest to have a health care directive the second we turn 18 years of age.
If you took one of my classes, you already know how to proceed. I wish you the very best.
