Who Will Speak for You?

Join us for a Live & Interactive discussion exploring the Final Exit Network’s Guide to a Peaceful Ending: While many people have thought about what they want or don’t want at the end-of-life, only about 30% have put their treatment wishes down on paper in an advance directive. More importantly, they have not had conversations with their loved ones or friends about their goals for end-of-life care. 

Althea Halchuck, EJD, CT, BCPA Final Exit Network’s Surrogate Consultant

Chat Transcript

12:06:50     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : I offer end-of-life planning & decision-making. I can act as a professional medical surrogate to speak for you when you can't speak for yourself, and I offer mediation services. 

My goal is to bring you peace of mind at end-of-life. https://endingwellpatientadvocacy.com/

12:07:19     From  Mona Abourjeily : Hello,

12:10:19     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : We hold that mentally competent adults who suffer from a terminal illness, intractable physical pain, chronic or progressive physical disabilities, or who face loss of autonomy and selfhood through dementia, have a basic human right to choose to end their lives when they judge their quality of life to be unacceptable. https://finalexitnetwork.org/

12:23:04     From  mary busse   to   Hosts and panelists : What other legal documents are needed to use your services?

12:23:27     From  Jim Schultz : I like Compassion and Choices Advanced Directives as I think it is more condcive for people who may wish to hasten their life's end.

12:24:01     From  Elizabeth Nolte : The EMS won’t honor the advanced directive unless it’s on the state approved form. That was my experience with my mother in NY

12:24:17     From  Gary Wederspahn : Short reader-friendly articles on this topic and many other end-of-life challenges and choices is available at https://www.thegooddeathsocietyblog.net/

12:24:37     From  Susan Ladani : how about petients who have been diagnosed with Dimentia and your left with decision.

12:24:46     From  Joan Zaffarano   to   Hosts and panelists : What are the considerations in picking a professional surrogate?  Where are the listef?  How are fees constructed?

12:24:53     From  Alison Lynch : I've had clients without anyone to serve as a medical POA at end of life or to carry out advanced directives.  If there are no family or friends available, what do you recommend?

12:36:59     From  Susan V : so should one have both a POLST and advanced directive?

12:37:15     From  Rhonda Koplin   to   Hosts and panelists : My family knows my advanced directives, medicines, will, etc. are in a tube in my freezer. Learned from parents’ CCRC

12:42:54     From  Anne Young   to   Hosts and panelists : My understanding was that POST/MOST are not completed unless patient is approaching EOL or chronic illness.

12:56:07     From  Elva Roy : I referred a friend to FEN and he successfully ended his life as he desired.

12:57:04     From  Catherine Freedberg   to   Hosts and panelists : Might we explore SADD at another session?

13:09:12     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Catherine Twitmyer 01:08 PM 

Not just banks — financial institutions — just fill out their form. They will make it a HUGE hassle trying to exercise a POA.

13:10:36     From  Jean Ivory : Even though I have completed my AD, I am very

13:10:37     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : My End-of-Life Decisions: An Advance Planning Guide and Toolkit https://www.compassionandchoices.org/resource/eoldgt

13:11:50     From  Gary Wederspahn : SADD is enforced legally for free by FEN.

13:12:50     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : An advance directive for dementia https://dementia-directive.org/

13:12:52     From  Jean Ivory : Even though I have completed my AD, I am appreciative for this educational information.

13:18:50     From  Nancy Feeney : gnanow.org

13:19:38     From  Nancy Feeney : Greater National Advocates has a directory of Board Certified Patient Advocates

13:20:29     From  Althea Halchuck : Althea 978-618-7150