For those living near Concord MA, a great opportunity is coming to help prepare you or an elder loved one for important upcoming decisions related to aging and end of life issues.  Families dealing with senior care or aging parents, with Alzheimers or dementia, may especially want to take advantage of this chance for thoughtful reflection on issues facing older family members.  On Sunday, March 25, the Wright Tavern Center at First Parish Unitarian Universalist church in Concord will sponsor The Five Wishes—A Workshop to Help You Make Important Decisions.

I have participated in this planning in my own family and have helped clients with aging parents through similar decision processes. I find the structure and guidance of this process to be thoughtful and a great stress reliever.  If you have an aging family member, I highly recommend this workshop for either or both of you.

The workshop is led by Sue Dobbie, RN, BS, CPN, a member of Concord's First Parish UU.

From the brochure:

"Five Wishes looks at the personal, emotional, spiritual needs of a person, not just his or her medical needs. It is a legal document that lets one get the care one wants when it is needed the most.

Wish 1: Choosing a durable power of attorney for health care.
Wish 2: Deciding what medical treatment you want or don’t want — a Living Will
Wish 3: Choosing the types of care you want — how you want your pain to be managed.
Wish 4: Describing in detail how you want to be treated so that your dignity can be maintained.
Wish 5: Taking advantage of the opportunity to tell others how you want to be remembered.

This document is the only advanced directive that deals with spiritual matters and assists health care providers in respecting one's religious beliefs.  We will discuss each of the wishes in depth as well as explore how best to have the conversation with loved ones who may have difficulty making these decisions.

Presenter: Sue Dobbie, RN, BS, CPN
Sunday: March 25 7:00-8:30 p.m. Fee: $5 for Brochure"