WHEREAS, National Health Care Decisions Day is recognized each year on April 16 to engage the public in conversations that encourage people to think about their personal wishes for their health care, particularly at the end of life, with the goal of getting people to plan ahead, document those plans and let loved ones know their wishes; and

WHEREAS, advance care planning includes completing an advance directive, or living will, and appointing a health care power of attorney to make health care decisions on your behalf if you are unable to speak for yourself; and

WHEREAS, making decisions for a loved one who is not able to do so for themselves can be agonizing but advanced planning and understanding of a loved one's wishes can bring peace of mind; and

WHEREAS, Nevada health care providers and facilities are encouraged to use Health Care Decisions Day as an opportunity to pause and think about their patients' health care wishes and to take action to make sure those wishes are known, even if patients are unable to direct their own care; and

WHEREAS, the Nevada Advisory Council on Palliative Care and Quality of Life was created by law, in part, to encourage patients to initiate or review their wishes for care in serious illness with their health care providers and to consider who would speak for them if they are unable to speak for themselves with the goal of completing the written documentation to formalize those choices;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOE LOMBARDO, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim April 16, 2024, as

HEALTH CARE DECISIONS DAY IN NEVADA