Mayo Clinic Radio: End of Life Care

It\'s not a discussion anyone wants to have, but, when it’s time for end-of-life care, there are decisions to be made and questions to answer for patients and families. Questions about palliative care, hospice, life support and feeding tubes can add to the emotional impact of this time of life. To ease the stress and worry, having an advance directive and designated health care proxy are important steps to take. An advance directive is a legal document stating your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. A health care proxy is a person you name to make decisions for you when you are unable to do so.