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P. 55
“For a frum Jew, a halachic medical directive
makes it explicitly clear that the patient wants
his or her care to be informed by halacha. This
wish must be followed with the same respect HAIR’S TO YOU ©WWW
given to any other wish expressed by a patient. wig salon
care of, the percentage of people who have filled out a medical Fagie Rosen
directive is in inverse proportion to its importance. Filling it
out properly takes time and requires us to consider some un- 410.952.9842 • hairstoyouwigs@gmail.com
”comfortable questions about medical care. Moreover, for it to be Specializing in wigs for medical needs.
valid, it needs to be signed and witnessed. And, significantly, for I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE.
a medical directive to be truly effective, it needs to be addressed WEDNESDAYS: 1-HOUR SERVICE FOR WASH & SET
while a person is healthy and of sound mind. Waiting until a
crisis hits to fill one out might mean it is already too late. Every day of the week –
Drop off in the morning and pick up in the evening.
How Does a Halachic Health Care Directive Help?
There are two main audiences for a medical directive. The first
audience consists of medical professionals who might have
to make a decision about what care to provide – anyone from
emergency responders to doctors in the intensive care unit to
hospice nurses. For a frum Jew, a halachic medical directive
makes it explicitly clear that the patient wants his or her care
to be informed by halacha. This wish must be followed with the
same respect given to any other wish expressed by a patient.
In addition, being clear about your wishes can prevent a
medical team from doing too much or too little. For example,
in some circumstances, halacha does not require a person to be
intubated, but if a person has already been intubated, breathing
support cannot be removed. Unless there are clearly-expressed
wishes to the contrary, however, a medical team might intubate
someone as a matter of protocol, potentially creating a difficult
and extended situation that could have been avoided.
By the same token, a medical directive will instruct the med-
ical staff about what they should always provide. For example, a
medical team might decide that providing further hydration to
u 410 358 8509 u 47
makes it explicitly clear that the patient wants
his or her care to be informed by halacha. This
wish must be followed with the same respect HAIR’S TO YOU ©WWW
given to any other wish expressed by a patient. wig salon
care of, the percentage of people who have filled out a medical Fagie Rosen
directive is in inverse proportion to its importance. Filling it
out properly takes time and requires us to consider some un- 410.952.9842 • hairstoyouwigs@gmail.com
”comfortable questions about medical care. Moreover, for it to be Specializing in wigs for medical needs.
valid, it needs to be signed and witnessed. And, significantly, for I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE.
a medical directive to be truly effective, it needs to be addressed WEDNESDAYS: 1-HOUR SERVICE FOR WASH & SET
while a person is healthy and of sound mind. Waiting until a
crisis hits to fill one out might mean it is already too late. Every day of the week –
Drop off in the morning and pick up in the evening.
How Does a Halachic Health Care Directive Help?
There are two main audiences for a medical directive. The first
audience consists of medical professionals who might have
to make a decision about what care to provide – anyone from
emergency responders to doctors in the intensive care unit to
hospice nurses. For a frum Jew, a halachic medical directive
makes it explicitly clear that the patient wants his or her care
to be informed by halacha. This wish must be followed with the
same respect given to any other wish expressed by a patient.
In addition, being clear about your wishes can prevent a
medical team from doing too much or too little. For example,
in some circumstances, halacha does not require a person to be
intubated, but if a person has already been intubated, breathing
support cannot be removed. Unless there are clearly-expressed
wishes to the contrary, however, a medical team might intubate
someone as a matter of protocol, potentially creating a difficult
and extended situation that could have been avoided.
By the same token, a medical directive will instruct the med-
ical staff about what they should always provide. For example, a
medical team might decide that providing further hydration to
u 410 358 8509 u 47
