Pallative Care and Advance Directives

Have you designated a trusted family member or friend to make decisions for you if you were not able to speak for yourself? Have you told them what is most important to you and what your wishes would be if you were seriously ill? Do you find this topic hard to think and talk about?  You are not alone.  In this talk, we will discuss palliative (or comfort) care, hospice care, how to start these difficult conversations and what forms we need to use to designate our advance directives in Massachusetts.

Marcia Feldman is the Palliative Care Coordinator at Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford, MA.  She coordinates the “Living Fully, Dying Well” program, to enrich the quality of life in the final days of people at the end of life.  The program includes pain and symptom management, complementary therapies, music at the bedside, Vigil Volunteers, spiritual care and a partnership with hospice.