Communicating End-of-Life Wishes

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Communicating End-of-Life Wishes

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Planning Ahead Communicating End-of-Life Wishes

• (Add your organizations name and contact
  information here)

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Purpose

• Discover the value of talking about your
  end-of-life wishes
• Learn how to communicate your end-of-life wishes
• Use strategies to clarify and express your wishes
  
• Help others clarify and express their wishes

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Why is talking so important?

• Conversations before the crisis allow time for
  honest discussion, reflection and planning
• Opportunity to discover important information
  about yourself and your loved ones
• Most important gift you can give is preparation
  for end of life

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Why is talking so hard?

• How do you feel about choices and care around the
  end of life?
• What do you want?
• What are you worried about?
• Who will make your decisions for you if you are
  unable?

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Interesting to note

• Most Americans 88 percent feel comfortable
  discussing issues relating to death and dying
• Yethow many of you have had a discussion with
  your family, a friend, your doctor, or a clergy
  about YOUR end-of-life wishes?
• National Survey on Death, Dying, and Hospice
  Care in America, VITAS Innovative Healthcare,
  2004

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Conversation Triggers

• Family gatherings
• Death of friend or colleague
• Newspaper magazine articles
• Movies books
• Sermons
• TV talk shows
• Financial planning
• Medical checkups

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How To Communicate

• Step 1 Introduce the conversation
• Step 2 Explore personal beliefs and values
• Step 3 Define end-of-life wishes
• Step 4 Document wishes

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Step 1 Introduce the Conversation

• Timing is everything!
• Private, comfortable place
• Begin with a conversation trigger
• Importance of expressing end-of-life wishes
• If you are talking to the person you want to name
  as your healthcare agent/proxy let them know!

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Step 2 Explore Personal Beliefs and Values

• Engage in a conversation about beliefs and
  values
• - Happiness
• - Challenging Times
• - Spirituality
• - Family/Growing Up
• - Personal Values
• - Lifetime Legacies

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Step 3 Define End-of-Life Wishes

• Beliefs
• How do you want to prepare for death?
• What would help you cope?
• Choices
• Where do you want to spend your last days?
• Who do you want near you?
• What kind of medical care do you want?
• Who do you want to be your healthcare agent, the
  person who will speak for you if you could not?

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Step 4 Document Wishes

• Complete your Advance Directives
• - Living Will
• - Health Care Power of Attorney
• Inform others
• - Health care professionals, physician
• - Family members, friends, self

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Resources in Our Community
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www.caringinfo.org 800-658-8898
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FREE Resources Available from Caring Connections

• State-specific advance directives
• Planning Ahead Web information
• Brochures to download or order
• Conversations Before the Crisis
• Ask Tough Questions
• Four Quick Steps to Speak4me
• End-of-Life Decisions
• Communicating End-of-Life Wishes
• You Have Filled Out Your Advance Directive Now
  What?

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Its About How You LIVE!

• Learn about your options, choices and decisions
• Implement your advance directive plans
• Voice your end-of-life wishes
• Engage others to talk about their wishes