Would your loved ones know how to choose the medical care
you would want if you were unable to communicate decisions for yourself? Whether you are a young, middle-aged, or older adult, specify your wishes now to ease future emotional and financial burdens on your family.
Attend one of two forums on Monday, February 25 for a
dynamic discussion of advance health care planning. These two-hour presentations will be free to the public, courtesy of
San Jose Mercury News (SJMN) and Hospice of the Valley (HOV).
SJMN journalist Lisa Krieger and Gary Bertuccelli, the
HOV manager of social work and spiritual care, will be the featured speakers.
Reservations are recommended for these events at the HOV building
in San Jose.
Krieger described her father's poignant and expensive final days in an
SJMN article in February 2012. It initiated a year-long series titled the "
Cost of Dying," which we highly recommend.
I
f you have been hesitant to broach this topic with a loved one, you may find Go Wish cards to be an effective conversation starter. Decks are available from Coda Alliance, another local organization promoting end-of-life discussions. Excellent resources are also available from the American Bar Association:
