Decision-Making at End of Life

Presenters: Ann Yeo and Susan Kirkpatrick

With the availability of modern medical care, many of us live longer and healthier than previous generations did. However, modern medical care sometimes prolongs the duration of life longer than the quality of that life. Common medical interventions – such as CPR, ventilators, feeding tubes, and intravenous hydration – may be used even for terminally ill persons, without any real benefit in extending the quality of life. Drawing on the work of the Rev. Hank Dunn – a health-care chaplain who wrote Hard Choices for Loving People – this class will help us to consider choices we may have to make for our loved ones and for ourselves.

There will be a summary of the legal documentation necessary to express our wishes for medical care when we are terminally ill, or when there is no hope of regaining what we consider to be an acceptable quality of life.

There will also be a discussion of OUUC’s Personal Care and Support Record, which can be filed with the church office.

Ann Yeo and Susan Kirkpatrick both are members of OUUC. Ann is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Holistic Nurse. Susan is a licensed attorney.