Managing Serious Illness, Presented by Lissa Rockwood

Quality of life and proper care are the primary concerns of those who live with serious illnesses. Correct choices, most often made at first under difficult circumstances, are crucial to diagnose and treat symptoms, organize long term care, and give family peace of mind. Lissa Rockwood, a Nurse Educator specializing in palliative care and end-of-life health issues, will offer a comprehensive guide to navigate this journey.

Come to learn about:

• The available, realistic options that manage illness with dignity and care.
• The assistance a palliative care medical worker provides
• How to exit the “hamster wheel” of serious illness medical care
• Aligning care with end-of-life goals
• Increasing death literacy to decrease anxiety when that time comes
• Completing instructions ahead of time that outline treatment preferences in emergency circumstance such as Advance Directives, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, Physician’s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, and Medical Power of Attorney/Health Care proxy
• Medical Aid in Dying (the Death with Dignity Act) pros, cons, and options
• Common medications and treatments that provide alleviation of symptoms at end-of-life.
• What hospice care does and, more importantly, what hospice care does NOT provide
• Knowing the resources and options that ultimately ensure wishes are honored.

This program is free and open to the public.