National Healthcare Decisions Day
There’s a conversation that most families know they should have — and most families keep putting off. It’s not an easy one. It touches on aging, illness, and the choices we hope we never have to make. But it’s also one of the most loving conversations you can have with the people who matter most to you.
Today, on National Healthcare Decisions Day, we’re inviting you to have it.
What Is National Healthcare Decisions Day?
Observed every April 16, National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is a nationwide initiative designed to encourage people of all ages to think about and document their healthcare wishes before a crisis makes that impossible.
The goal isn’t to be morbid. It’s actually the opposite. It’s about taking control, reducing uncertainty, and giving your family the incredible gift of knowing exactly what you would want if you couldn’t speak for yourself.
Because here’s the truth: when a medical emergency happens, families are often thrust into making deeply difficult decisions at the worst possible moment, grieving, exhausted, and unsure. Advance care planning changes that. It transforms one of the hardest moments a family can face into an act of clarity and love, rather than guesswork and guilt.
What Does “Advance Care Planning” Actually Mean?
If those words sound clinical, don’t let them. Advance care planning simply means thinking through your values, your wishes, and your priorities for care and then writing them down in a way that others can follow.
It typically involves two key documents:
An advance directive (sometimes called a living will) is a written statement of your healthcare preferences, including things like whether you’d want life-sustaining treatment under certain conditions, or what kind of comfort care matters most to you.
A healthcare power of attorney (or healthcare proxy) designates a trusted person, whether a spouse, adult child, or close friend, to make medical decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to do so.
Together, these documents do something remarkable: they put you in the driver’s seat, even when circumstances have taken the wheel.
Why This Matters So Much for Seniors and Their Families
At Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, we walk alongside families every single day who are navigating some of life’s most tender chapters, including rehabilitation after surgery, memory care, long-term care, and times when a loved one simply needs more support than home can provide.
And in that work, we’ve seen firsthand how much easier the journey is when a family has talked things through ahead of time. We’ve seen the relief on a daughter’s face when she knows, without doubt, that the care her mother is receiving is exactly what her mother would have chosen. We’ve seen the peace that comes from a plan, a real and documented plan, that honors a person’s values and dignity.
We’ve also seen the heartbreak of families who didn’t have that conversation. Not because they didn’t love each other, but because life got busy, or the topic felt too heavy, or they thought there was more time.
There is always time, until suddenly, there isn’t.
How to Start the Conversation
If you’re not sure where to begin, you’re not alone. Here are a few gentle ways to open the door:
Start with values, not logistics. Instead of leading with legal documents, try asking: “What does a good quality of life mean to you?” or “What are you most afraid of when it comes to getting older?” These questions tend to open hearts, not close them.
Include the right people. Ideally, this conversation happens with whoever you’d trust to make decisions on your behalf, and with your primary care physician, who can help translate your wishes into a medical context.
Write it down and share it. A conversation is a start, but a document is a plan. Virginia residents can access free advance directive forms through the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. Once complete, make sure your doctor, your healthcare proxy, and any care facility you’re connected to has a copy.
Revisit it over time. Your wishes may evolve as your health and circumstances change. Treat your advance directive as a living document, one that grows with you.
We’re Here to Help
At CCR, being responsive to the needs of our residents and their families isn’t just a value we talk about. It’s how we show up, every day. That includes helping families think through care decisions, understand their options, and feel genuinely supported rather than alone in the process.
If you have questions about care planning, advance directives, or what care at one of our 12 Virginia locations looks like in practice, we’d love to talk. Reach out to our team anytime, because the best time to plan for tomorrow is always today.