Providence Mount St. Vincent end-of-life planning discussion April 30, 2013

Providence Hospice of Seattle will hold a workshop at Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle on end-of-life planning and how to start that important conversation with loved ones. The public is invited to attend this free event, which focuses on "Advanced Planning: 5 Essential Documents You Need to Know About." Attendees will learn how to talk with loved ones about how they would want to spend their final days - and making sure their wishes are written down. This workshop coincides with National Healthcare Decisions Day, which is held in April.

It's not unusual for people to struggle when starting these conversations. However, by avoiding the conversation, families and loved ones are often faced with making difficult choices at the end of life without knowing what their loved one would want.

Such discussions and planning help ensure that individuals' wishes are met at the end of their lives. According to a 2008 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), research found that when patients had end-of-life discussions with physicians, they chose fewer aggressive interventions. Individuals made choices that result in:

* 8.3 times less likely to be resuscitated
* 6.9 times less likely to be on a ventilator
* 3 times less likely to be in a hospital Intensive Care Unit
* Earlier and longer enrollment in hospice care
* Better bereavement for caregiver

Another way to start the conversation about one's end-of-life wishes is to obtain a form that guides people through the topic. There are several types of advance directives: Living Wills, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) forms, Five Wishes and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA). The POLST form is commonly used in Washington state. Any time individuals are admitted to a hospital or nursing home, they are asked to complete the POLST form. The Five Wishes form is legal in Washington and many other states.

Official Website: http://www.providence.org/themount