IN MODERATION
Janet Marshall is the editor of The Free Lance-Star's Healthy Living section and Healthy Life Virginia newsletter. She thinks most things are fine in moderation.
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What care do you want at the end of your life?
Mary Washington Healthcare will host Advance Directives Day on April 16 to give people the opportunity to spell out their wishes for end-of-life care. The event coincides with National Healthcare Decisions Day, which encourages people to document how they’d like to be cared for if they become unable to communicate their desires.
You can hear information and gather relevant documents from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the atrium at Mary Washington Hospital (1001 Sam Perry Blvd. in Fredericksburg) or at Stafford Hospital (101 Hospital Center Blvd.)
The purpose of the event is to ”improve our facilities’ ability to provide appropriate services and help families avoid heart-breaking decisions they may have insufficient information to make,” says a statement on Mary Washington Healthcare’s website, mwhc.com.
The healthcare organization will be encouraging its own employees to complete advance directives so they’re better able to answer patients’ questions about the documents. Call 540/741-0640 to learn more.
You can see a copy of an advance directive at: marywashingtonhealthcare.com/images/stories/documents/pdf/Advance_Directives/advanceddirectivepktbasiceng1.12.pdf
