Purpose of Advance Care Planning/Living Will Seminar 

To consider, then complete, sign, and have witnessed, the five important documents relating to your wishes for critical care medical interventions. Increase your chance to end your life on your own terms and protect your loved ones from guilt about not supporting you, even if you develop dementia. 

Presenter

Richard Stuart is a Ph.D. psychologist with years of experience in advance care planning. He is Clinical Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at UW and a psychologist on the medical staff of Swedish/Edmonds Hospital. He has had an extensive clinical, research, and writing career that includes creation of the Conditional Medical Order for summarizing patients' critical care preferences.

RSVP Required: Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/wJUfvNpdkpw4a7QJ7 or leave a message for Darrell at (206) 200-2168 so we will have enough space and materials for all attendees. Please bring a pen as you will be creating documents. Everyone who attends will be asked to wear an N-95 mask for self-protections and to protect others near you.

Who Should Attend

Anyone who is mortal, who either has outdated advance directives or none.

Who Should Attend With You?

If possible, plan on attending with someone who will be your trusted medical surrogate for medical decisions (DPoAHC - Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care). A surrogate will represent your wishes if you are unable to do so for yourself and it is essential that your surrogate know what you want and how to advocate on your behalf. While not required, attending with your surrogate will increase the likelihood that your preferences will be heard when they matter most. If you don’t have a surrogate, we might be able to help you find one at the workshop.

What If I Already Have Such Documents

Many advance care directive forms, e.g. the POLST, are inadequate and should be replaced. But even if you have the latest version, documents need to be reviewed every five years and updated when you have a new diagnosis or when your values and expectations change. This is also a chance for your surrogate to review and possibly better understand your preferences.