Dying and how we hope to live at the end of our lives can be challenging subjects to talk about; particularly with those we love. We keep waiting for the “right time” and then suddenly it’s too late. The Sunshine Coast Hospice Society invites Coast residents to make time for this conversation by participating in one of the three advance care planning sessions they will be offering this fall.
“Imagine, one day, without warning, you find yourself in a hospital in a life-threatening situation, unable to communicate,” says Denis Fafard, Sunshine Coast Hospice Society president. “Who would you want to speak for you and make health care decisions on your behalf? We forget that our lives can end at any time, not simply when we grow old.”
What is advance care planning? Advance care planning invites you to first reflect on your beliefs, values, and wishes, particularly in relation to how you want to live at the end of your life. It then offers you ways to start conversations with family and friends and designating a representative – the person who will speak for you about your wishes at the end of life when you cannot speak for yourself. And it provides guidelines about recording your wishes and communicating them to family, friends, your physician, and financial and legal professionals.
Carol Hill-Maxfield, workshop facilitator and retired registered nurse, observes: “No matter your age, completing an advance care plan is a precious gift to your loved ones. An advance care plan let’s them know how you want to live at the end of your life and allows them to speak with confidence on your behalf when you cannot speak for yourself.”
To learn more about advance care planning and get started with your conversation, you can attend one of the three free workshops being offered this fall: Sechelt, Oct. 15, Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre; Pender Harbour, Oct. 29, Pender Harbour School of Music; Gibsons, Nov. 5, Gibsons and Area Community Centre. All sessions are from 10 a.m. to noon. To register or find out more about advance care planning, contact Sandra O’Brian at 604-885-5757 or see coasthospice.com
This project is funded by the Seed Grants Program, a joint initiative between the BC Centre for Palliative Care and the BC Hospice Palliative Care Association, which is funded through a grant from the Ministry of Health.
