Too many people leave too many painful life and death decisions to someone else, making an already stressful situation worse for loved ones.

How to go about making plans for end-of-life medical care, known as advance care planning or advance directives, will be addressed at the next WhidbeyHealth Town Hall Talks from 5 to 6:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Coupeville Library.

Dr. Jerry Sanders, WhidbeyHealth Hospice Care Medical Director, will discuss options for getting your end-of-life options known should you become incapacitated. Choices include signing written documents or appointing a surrogate decision-maker who knows and understands your wishes.

While most people say they would prefer to die at home, only about one-third of adults have advance directives, studies have shown. In 2016, Medicare began covering patient-doctor discussions of advance care planning as a separate and billable service.

WhidbeyHealth CEO Geri Forbes and hospital commissioners will also be at the public meeting to provide updates on the hospital’s building addition and information about new doctors and services.