In recognition of how difficult it is for people to think about and discuss health care decisions, Emmanuel Hospice is distributing free copies of the nation’s most popular advance care planning resource, Five Wishes.
Five Wishes allows individuals and families to make important decisions in terms that are meaningful and understandable to them and helps patients and families to more effectively communicate their decisions to health care providers. In addition to important medical issues, Five Wishes addresses matters of the heart and soul (comfort, family relationships, dignity, and spirituality) and encourages people to be specific about their intentions in their own words.
Emmanuel Hospice is celebrating National Hospice Month throughout the month of November by promoting the importance of thinking and talking about health care decisions well in advance of a severe illness or accident.
We are immersed in ‘what-if’ scenarios at Emmanuel Hospice. We know the trials and tribulations caused by unexpected events, and we feel we have an opportunity and obligation to our community to ease those burdens. This month we are celebrating National Hospice Month by identifying our obligations to our community by discussing advance care planning.
Our goal is to put 250 advance directives in the hands of our West Michigan neighbors in hopes of easing the uncertainties of emergency health-care situations. Our dream is to eliminate scenarios like a family feud when Mom or Dad is sent to the ER and everyone questions what the ‘best’ thing for their loved one should be. Or allow a loved one to obtain necessary health care coverage if someone is unable to do so themselves.
Or even carry out someone’s wishes regarding preferred life-support treatments. If we can eliminate just one of these similar scenarios, then all of our efforts are successful.
Currently, we are making great strides towards our goal. Please help us continue to spread the word!
If you or a loved one needs to have “the conversation”, please call us at 616-719-0919 for a free Five Wishes form today!