On September 26, Ferguson Wellman and West Bearing hosted an event in Portland where Marcy Houle, co-author of “The Gift of Caring,” shared insights from her personal experiences with her aging parents receiving hospital care. She presented what she called, “The Three Deadly D’s,” which consist of dehydration, delirium and drugs. Her book walked through ways individuals can educate themselves about the signs and symptoms that can exacerbate an illness or condition. We have a limited number of signed copies of “The Gift of Caring” available if you could not attend the event or you can order the book through this link at Amazon.

During the event, there was discussion about proactive coordination, communication and planning individuals can take prior to illness to guide the type of care they will receive. In addition to the important steps to take with your family and healthcare professionals, there are documents that should be completed with your attorney that guide your care and empower your decision makers in the event of incapacitation. These documents are typically created as part of a comprehensive estate plan and brief definitions can be viewed here: Common Estate Planning Documents and Terms.

Additionally, we have included Marcy Houle’s very helpful document, Baseline and Health History Sheet.

If you have any questions regarding the “The Gift of Caring” event or these documents, please contact us at info@fergwell.com or (503) 226-1444.