Rotarians learn hospice care options, ‘Five Wishes’ plan

St. Mary Parish Rotary Club members were made aware of a valuable resource in the community at their meeting Tuesday which could help people make important decisions regarding end-of-life healthcare.
Marlene Foreman, Education Coordinator with the Hospice of Acadiana, was on hand to let club members know there are a wide variety of services available through their organization to ensure people’s final wishes are honored.
Foreman said one of the primary goals of the Hospice of Acadiana was to provide services for veterans.
“We Honor Veterans (WHV) is a partnership with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Department of Veteran Affairs,” said Foreman. “This began in 2010 after a survey found that only four percent of veterans die in veteran institutions. Which means 96 percent of veterans die in their communities. So this program began to help veterans at the end of life. It is important that we provide this service because many veterans only want to deal with other veterans.”
The other primary message Foreman stressed to the audience was the importance of planning for the future and what hospice care in the area can do to help people. Foreman said clearly defining one’s wishes and making sure the right people have the information can make the transition smoother for everyone involved.
Foreman also indicated the role Rotary Club members could play in disseminating the information she was presenting to others in the community who might be unaware of the resources available.
“When I talk to this group, I’m not just talking to you about your specific family,” Foreman said. “You are an organization involved with the community. You are involved with businesses and religious organizations. The more information you have, the more you are able to share.”
Also introduced at the meeting was the advance health care directive known as ‘Five Wishes,’ a health care concept, or ‘living will,’ and is a legal document in 42 states including Louisiana that defines a patient’s wishes near the end of life.
Developed by Jim Towey, former Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under former President George W. Bush, the directive asks patients to answer five questions regarding how they want to be cared for in the last few months of their lives.
Wish 1 determines who makes decisions for the patient in the event they are not able to make them on their own.
Wish 2 decides what treatments the patient does or doesn’t want to have administered.
Wish 3 dictates the level of comfort the patient desires.
Wish 4 determines how they want people around them to treat them including caregivers as well as family and friends.
Finally, Wish 5 tells the patient’s loved ones what they want them to know before they pass away. Wish 5 also lists whether the patient wants to be buried or cremated and where this should take place.