“It always seems too early, until it’s too late,” is the theme for this year’s National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), which this year will be marked by a week-long event from April 16-22.  NHDD aims to help people understand the value of advance healthcare planning. You can plan events before NHDD to encourage participants to take personal action on NHDD (or during NHDD week) with their families.

Daily sub-themes for the week are as follows:

• Sunday (4/16): Prepare – A day to get resources together
• Monday (4/17): Start with Yourself – A day to think about your own healthcare decisions
• Tuesday (4/18): Family/Friends/Loved Ones – A day to discuss your wishes with others (and learn their wishes)
• Wednesday (4/19): Spread the Word – A day to tell others that you’ve engaged in advance care planning and encourage them to do the same
• Thursday (4/20): Facilities Focus – A day for healthcare providers of all sorts to promote advance care planning
• Friday (4/21): Professionals Preparedness – A day to ensure that all professionals (healthcare, clergy, legal, and others) understand and can promote advance care planning 
• Saturday (4/22): Reflection and Readiness – Consider what worked well for NHDD week and file/share your advance care plans so they will be available if needed

The National Healthcare Decisions Day website, www.nhdd.org, includes resources and planning ideas including sample newsletter articles, Facebook posts and Twitter messages.