Editors note: This is the third in a three-part series on Omega House’s Final Journey Series

HOUGHTON — Last Thursday, Omega House held its third and final session of the “Final Journey” series. This session focused on educating participants on the paperwork and documents related to a loved one’s passing. The session’s highlight was a presentation from Keren Tischler, an Advanced Care Planning (ACP) facilitator. Tischler originally studied biology, but now works in ACP, which she describes as, “The process of thinking and talking about future healthcare decisions in the event you cannot make your own choices.”

ACP involves a lot of thought, such as choosing who will make choices for you if you’re unable to do so. It can also help a dying person better understand their values, goals, and concerns with the process. According to Tischler, using ACD to create an Advance Directive will increase the likelihood of one’s wishes being honored after their death. An Advance Directive encompasses all post-death wishes for things such as funeral plans, burial preferences, and any spiritual preferences a person would like honored.

They can also be used for healthcare purposes. An Advance Directive allows one to designate an advocate for them, if they are ever unable to make their own decisions. Do Not Resuscitate orders and preferences on treatments such as feeding tubes are often included as well. Forms to create Advance Directives can be found online at Careinfo.org.

Tischler moved on to address some of the myths commonly associated with Advanced Care Planning and Advance Directives. For example, Advance Directives are beneficial for people of all ages and health status, not just those in hospice or with terminal illnesses.

Tischler also pointed out that we can’t assume family members will know our post-death wishes and plans. Only one in three people were able to accurately guess a loved one’s burial and memorial wishes, making ACP and Advance Directives crucial for ensuring our plans are thoroughly understood.

Tischler ended her presentation by encouraging attendees to make an Advance Directive, keep it handy (like in a wallet or glove box), and update it often, as it’s normal for plans and wishes to change.

For more information or help with Advanced Care Planning, contact Keren Tischler at 906-487-9060 0r kbtischler@gmail.com.