Director of Hospice Kassie Hodge talks to reporters at the Mosaic Hospice offices/Photo by Matt Pike By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Mosaic Life Care Hospice officials encourage everyone to have a plan ready for a day you may not be able to make your own health care decisions. Director of Hospice Kassie Hodge says everyone is encouraged to create their advanced directives. She says there are two parts to an advanced directive. "One, tell your family members what your wishes are, that's the part that says hey if I'm unable to speak for myself this is what I would like," Hodge tells reporters. "So that kind of helps guide their decision making in those difficult situations." Hodge says the other part is the Durable Power of Attorney, which guarantees for the hospital that someone you've authorized can make decisions for you. Mosaic Life Care Hospice is holding events to help people create their Advanced Directives in association with National Decision Day. But what is National Decision Day? "It has helped bring awareness to the fact that people need their advanced directives in place," Hodge explains. "We are one of very few states that is actually not a next of kin state, so not every state requires DPOA paperwork unfortunately we do, and hopefully we're working on strides with our government to help change that, however in the time being this is what we are left with." Hodge says with Missouri not being a next-of-kin state, that means unless you have the proper paperwork, your marital or relationship status to a person in the hospital gives you no power to decide for them. Hodge says the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the importance of having Advanced Directives. "More so than in years past and so, it's that if they go into the hospital and they do not of a DPOA in place, there's no decisions that can be made," Hodge says. "They're pretty much on hold until guardianship can be obtained, which can cost thousands of dollars, two to three thousand dollars easily." Hodge says it's more frequent than people might think that people run into issues of not being able to give directions, because the proper paperwork is not at the hospital.