Planning for National Healthcare Decisions Day
Advance planning has taken on a new urgency, and Compassion & Choices is ready to help in more ways than ever.
Mar 21, 2020
National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), April 16 this year, is always a time when Compassion & Choices places particular emphasis around consumer empowerment and end-of-life planning. This year, with the coronavirus ravaging communities worldwide, the importance of understanding, planning and advocating for one’s care preferences at life’s end is of paramount importance.
“Over the past few weeks, I have received countless calls from terminally ill supporters across the country concerned about the impact the pandemic will have on the care they receive in the final chapter of their life including understandable fears they will suffer and die alone," said Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices. “While we unfortunately can’t eliminate the devastating realities of this pandemic, we can help you prepare for the worst case scenario, so that you receive the best possible outcome. Despite what you may read in the paper, many people are still able to have a compassionate and dignified death, even during these difficult times.”
On Monday, April 13, we will launch National Healthcare Decisions month with a virtual Town Hall Discussion titled, “End of Life Care and Planning During the Pandemic.” During the town hall we will address the stark realities of planning for the end during this difficult time, including addressing some of the most frequent and real concerns we have heard: 1) How can I avoid dying alone and suffering from this horrible disease? 2) Is there hospice and palliative care available? 3) Will I get a ventilator if I need one and how do I know if I even want it?
This town hall meeting will mark the start of a month-long focus on helping people navigate care preferences at life's end and realize a dignified death given existing laws. Below are the topics and calls that have been scheduled to date:
| Date | Topic | Speakers |
| Monday, April 13 at 2 p.m. EDT | National Healthcare Decisions Day Town Hall, “Navigating End-of-Life Care and Choice During the Pandemic.” | Kim Callinan, president and CEO and special guest (stay tuned) |
| Thursday, April 16 at 2 p.m. EDT | NHCDD: End of Life Decisions Guide | Dr. David Grube, C&C national medical director |
| Tuesday, April 21 at 2 p.m. EDT | Living and Dying with Dementia (as a part of the American Society on Aging Annual Conference) | George Vradenberg, UsAgainst Alzheimer's Kim Callinan, president and CEO, C&C Tom Quash, CMPO, C&C Dan Winter, storyteller |
For alerts on these webinars and more of our NHDD activities, follow our Facebook page, where the webinars will be available.
