Toby Cosgrove, M.D., on Linked In: Make end-of-life wishes known now

Death is inevitable. Talking about it should be too, writes Toby Cosgrove, M.D., Cleveland Clinic President and CEO. It’s important to think about and discuss your preferences long before you and your loved ones are faced with difficult end-of-life decisions.

When should life-sustaining treatments like breathing machines or feeding tubes be started or stopped? Who should make healthcare decisions for you when you are unable to communicate or decide for yourself? Where do you want to be at the end of life – at home, in a hospital or in a care facility? These are just a few of the crucial decisions we may face at the end of our lives.

National Healthcare Decisions Day will help people understand the importance of advance healthcare planning and offer assistance in how to do it. To read the entire Linked In column, go to Make end-of-life wishes known now.