It is hard to imagine a life without a mobile phone these days, isn’t it? We all want to own the latest mobile phone that has the best in class features. We use our smartphone to call people, text them, listen to music, click pictures and videos, watch movies, browse the internet. Hence, it wouldn’t be an overstatement if we say that we literally carry our entire lives in our pocket. Mobile phones have already done so much for us, they have made getting in touch with anyone at any time possible, but can they be used for anything else that is better? Yes. Your Apple iPhone can become a means to carry your end of life care wishes.
To talk about storing end of life care wishes, we first need
to discuss Advance Care Directives or ADCs. For those that are unfamiliar with
the term, these are legally binding documents that allow a person to mention in
detail how they want their quality of life to be if they are ever in an
unfortunate situation like a coma, terminal illness, or they simply cannot
speak for themselves. A lot of people don’t carry these documents around with
them at all times and thus makes it difficult for their caregivers to access
this information.
Ms. Margaret Brown, a research
fellow at the University of South Australia’s Hawke Research Institute came up
with this intelligent solution for this medical dilemma. She came up with the
thought that an apple or android phone may be the answer to this. Everyone
always keeps their android mobile close to them as opposed to legal documents
that are often hidden in the house, and these devices can be accessed easily to
know the patient’s wishes. One of the other advantages of using a mobile phone to carry your end of life care wishes is that it
can be readily altered by the owner.
However, this idea is still in its early stages of
conception. There are a few hurdles that still need to be overcome. For
example, a majority of people who currently have Advance Care Directives are in
their 70s, 80s and 90s, and a lot of them do not have access to mobile phones,
while some are not so well-versed with the use of technology. There is also a
possibility of the family members altering their wishes for ulterior gains.
With time and dedication, these hurdles can be surpassed too.
Simply talking about the end of life care makes us sad, but
if a thing as simple as a mobile phone can ensure that their final days are
spent in comfort and dignity, it is definitely something that should be given
more thought.
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