Attorney General's News Release

June 21, 2004

Nixon launches "Life Choices" consumer education initiative to help Missourians plan for the end of life

Attorney General Nixon, above, unveils the Life Choices publication. Listening is registered nurse Vicki Boehmer, palliative care coordinator at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.

St. Louis, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today announced he has expanded his mission to protect consumers by creating a guide to planning for the end of life. Nixon unveiled the "Life Choices" guide (PDF file or html format) during a news conference at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis. The guide includes step-by-step information on how consumers may communicate their wishes for health care as they near death. "Life Choices" also includes information on legal and financial matters, funeral planning, pain management and hospice care.

"This guide is designed to improve the quality of life for Missourians as they near death and to give families peace of mind," Nixon said. "Everybody needs to know the information in 'Life Choices' and I am honored to provide this to Missouri consumers."

Nixon partnered with the Missouri End of Life Coalition — a statewide group of health care professionals, attorneys, social workers and others who are working to improve end of life care — to raise awareness and empower Missourians with knowledge about end-of-life issues. Members of the coalition attended Nixon's announcement, and Dr. Charles Crecelius, a physician on staff at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, spoke on the importance of planning for the end of life.

"Communication between families and health care providers is critical after the diagnosis of a chronic illness. I applaud Attorney General Nixon's efforts in assisting the Missouri End of Life Coalition to encourage discussion of health care decisions while a person is healthy and can think clearly," Dr. Crecelius said.

Dr. Charles Crecelius, right, a staff physician at the medical center and a member of the Missouri End of Life Coalition, addresses the news conference.

The "Life Choices" publication contains forms for durable power of attorney for health care and for health care choices directive. The health care choices directive communicates a person's wishes regarding life-sustaining medical treatment when the person is incapacitated or unable to communicate. The durable power of attorney for health care choices allows a person to appoint another individual to make health care decisions for him when the person granting the authority becomes incapacitated or unable to communicate.

"We all need to provide this information to our families, clergy and health care providers. It's a comfort to know our families will know our wishes when the time comes to communicate on this sensitive subject," Nixon said.

Consumers may get a hard copy of the "Life Choices" booklet by:

• Calling the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222.
• E-mailing the Consumer Protection Division.

Members of the Missouri End of Life Coalition also will distribute "Life Choices" through the organizations they represent including hospices, hospitals and health care associations.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818