“It’s Okay, Mom Wouldn’t Have Wanted That”: Understanding POLST, DNRs, and Advance Directives in California When emergency crews arrived, Susan felt her heart race. Her mother, Evelyn, had collapsed at home. Paramedics were ready to start CPR. “Wait,” Susan said through tears. “She didn’t want this. She made that clear.” But when they asked for…
She Just Wants to Help: The Right Way to Let a Loved One Make Your Medical Appointments One of my octogenarian clients recently reached out with a thoughtful question: “My granddaughter is a nurse and knows my schedule better than I do. Can she just make my medical appointments for me, even if I’m not…
Planning Ahead for a Mental Health Crisis: A New Tool for California Families Imagine your loved one is having a mental health crisis. They’re scared, confused, and unable to explain what they need. Doctors and first responders want to help—but no one knows which medications have worked before, which treatments they don’t want, or who…
