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Getting used to a colostomy may take time. Learning to care for it and the changes in your body can be tough. But you're still the same person. And you can do many of the same things you've always enjoyed. Read on for tips to help you adjust to having a colostomy.

Advance care planning is the process of deciding one's own future medical care. It helps to make sure that if you can't speak for yourself, your wishes can still be carried out. The plan is a series of legal documents that note a person's wishes. The documents vary by state.

When you have a serious illness, your healthcare provider will review treatment options with you as your illness progresses. Some of these treatments help support or sustain life if your body can no longer perform certain functions on its own. Artificial hydration is one such treatment.

For serious illnesses, your healthcare provider will discuss treatment options as your condition progresses. Artificial feeding, which provides nutrition when you can't eat by mouth, is one such option. This sheet explains more about it.

Certain treatments can help sustain life when you have a serious illness. But as your illness progresses, there may come a time when these treatments are no longer a benefit. You must then decide whether to continue or stop these treatments.

If your loved one has now progressed to end-stage (advanced) dementia, it may help to know what to expect and plan for what lies ahead.

Delirium is very common in people with advanced illness. With delirium, people have times when they are suddenly confused and unaware of what's going on around them. They may become agitated and restless or withdrawn.

A healthcare proxy represents another person when that person can't speak for themself. The name of this role varies by state. It may be called a Durable Medical Power of Attorney or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare.

You have a loved one who's receiving care at the end of life. You've been helping to make your loved one comfortable. As they move into the final stages, this sheet can help you find ways to help your loved one die with dignity.