Conversations in Advance Care Planning – June 27

As we all get older, end of life discussions aren't the most pleasant topic, and the easiest things to discuss. But the ideal time to have those discussions is while everyone is well, and there's no urgency to make decisions.

MDI Hospital is hosting a discussion "Conversations in Advance Care Planning" which is free and open to the public, on Tuesday, June 27th from 9:30 a.m to 11 a.m. at Havana in Bar Harbor. This is  hosted by Patrick Ainsworth, RN and Heather Sinclair, LSW from the Palliative Care Team at MDI Hospital

This group of experts will introduce and define palliative care and care management, walk through the specifics surrounding management of care, and answer any questions the audience might have.

Patrick and Heather will be joined by Cookie Horner, who worked at MDI Hospital in Labor and Delivery for 16 years and MDI High School as the school nurse for 17 years. Since retiring as a nurse, Cookie has volunteered for Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County, lending her experience and knowledge to the community. She has also been teaching community groups about end-of-life issues for the past 15 years and recently became a certified End of Life Doula through the University of Vermont Medical School.

Cookie says of this topic, “I think it is so important that people are educated about their choices and prepared for end of life long before they get there. When you have a plan in place for how you want things to go, it gives you control, reduces anxiety and helps those who care for you to give you the best possible choices and scenarios.”

The group will go over the specialized care someone who is in hospice needs, how to be a good agent for their medical wishes, how to manage their comfort, and how to care for yourself throughout the duration of palliative care of a loved one.

For more information or to RSVP, please email media@mdihospital.org.