The Advance Care Planning Coalition of Aging Inspired helps community organizations, such as clubs and churches, provide FREE educational events about Advance Care Planning to groups throughout Lebanon County.
Too often we don’t talk about end-of-life issues until a crisis happens, when people are filled with emotion and decisions need to be made quickly. The end of life is a normal process. What role can you play to help have the conversation?
We invite you to learn more about Advance Care Planning and how to facilitate conversations in your own communities.
FREE Events Available to Your Organization
Our committee of committed volunteers can help you plan an event, market your event and provide materials.
- “The Gift of Conversation: Understanding the Need for Advance Care Planning” An overview of advance care planning, the legal documents needed to support an individual’s wishes and values, and how to discuss with family or loved ones. A free resource packet will be provided to all participants.
- “The Gift of Conversation: Next Steps” A more detailed presentation on advance care planning, the three legal documents needed to support life support decisions for end-of-life care, and how to discuss with family or loved ones who to choose as a health care agent. A free resource packet will be provided to all participants. Have your packet handy for this event if you have attended the first presentation.
- “The “Hello Game” The Hello game is a 32-question structured conversation about what gives life meaning, how to be prepared for death and dying, and what matters most to you when you face the last months of your life.
- “What do I do Now? – Getting Started with your Advance Care Plan” This session will explore what you need to have; how to prepare; who to invite to the conversation you want to have, and what exactly to say. This will be a very hands-on discussion session. Free Advance Care Planning packets, tools and resources will be shared with participants, so everyone’s next steps are in place before the presentation ends.
- “And After I am Gone???” Hear from the Aging Inspired Advance Care Planning Coalition about preparing in advance how to relieve the burden from your loved ones or important persons of making decisions that you could make before you were gone. Putting you in control of how your life is celebrated, and how your wishes and values can be honored. Valuable planning resources are shared with the participants.
- Death Café: An informal gathering of individuals who are interested in talking about issues surrounding life, death and dying. These events have no agenda, no specific materials, and are completely designed to be an open exchange of ideas and experiences. Typically, 1.5 hours long with tea and scones because it was founded in England. We usually serve coffee and cake!!!
- Movie Events: “BEING MORTAL”; “CONSIDER THE CONVERSATION 1 & 2”; “CARE GIVING: A LOVE STORY” Each of these movies prompts a different understanding of the issues of serious illness, caregiving, preparing for the end, death and dying, and taking care of those you love. The movie is enhanced by a panel of professionals from advance care planning, palliative care, hospice care, and chaplaincy services who share their experiences with patients and the important people in their patient’s life.
- POLST: EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW: An overview of the Pennsylvania Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) document and the implications for care as a patient is transported from one setting to another. Includes information on Out-of-Hospital DNR forms as well. This is a document that is to be used only in the last 12-18 months of life.
Contact us today for more information – aging@communityhealthcouncil.com
Additional Resources
Any Advance Directive document, whether a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is legal and acceptable at any health care facility in Pennsylvania.
Documents obtained through an attorney, a health care provider, or the internet can be completed by any competent individual.
It must be signed, dated and have two witnesses to the signing of the document that are not the person’s Durable Power of Attorney(s) for Health Care, a member of their health care team, or an insurance or financial agent.
WellSpan Health
“Five Wishes®” is the preferred document of WellSpan Health. It not only provides a Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, but also addresses personal care wishes and after death wishes of the individual. It can be obtained at no cost by visiting www.wellspan.org/horizonplanning, and ordering through the form provided. Or it is also available from “Aging With Dignity®” at www.agingwithdignity.org.
UPMC Pinnacle
UPMC PINNACLE has created their own Living Will document that is used for their patients.
It can be obtained through the UPMC Pinnacle website, or at any UPMC Pinnacle facility.