Lakewood Congregational Church To Host Workshop On Tough End-Of-Life Conversations On May 3

While no single conversation can cover the many difficult decisions individuals and their families face in respect to end of life issues, these conversations are important and necessary. After all, as hard as it is to consider, death is a fact of life.

Statistics from the National Survey by The Conversation Project 2013 show that while most people say it is important to talk about wishes for end-of-life care, less than 30 percent of them actually discuss it with friends and family.

To help others learn how to initiate such discussions, seasoned hospice and hospital chaplain Sandie King is offering a free, public workshop, “Beginning the End-of-Life Conversations,” on Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Lakewood Congregational Church (LCC), 1375 West Clifton Blvd., Lakewood.

Throughout her career, King has worked with hundreds of families as they struggle to make tough, and sometimes heart-wrenching, decisions about their loved ones end-of-life care. It’s easier to help your family understand your wishes and make these decisions in advance, than in a time of medical crisis, King notes.

“No one wants to talk about planning for the death of a loved one or themselves,” notes King, a Lakewood resident. “And, even with good, healthy conversations, our loved ones may disagree with our choices. But even so, such a conversation is necessary to provide an understanding of what matters most to you and why.”

In her May 3 workshop at LCC, King will lead participants in a discussion of why end-of-life conversations can be so difficult. She will help them develop an action plan for having this conversation with family and friends and share helpful resources along the way.

“There are so many reasons to avoid end-of-life conversations,” King says. “Beginning them is critically important. The sooner we can begin these conversations, the more comfort we can find in them, and the more strength we can offer to others.”

All are welcome to attend this free workshop. Reservations are required. Contact the LCC office at 216.221.9555 or lccstaff@lcc-church.org to secure a spot or to get more information.

Robin Suttell

Robin Suttell is Lakewood Congregational Church's Welcoming Ministries chair and is a 18+ year Lakewood resident.

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Volume 10, Issue 8, Posted 2:32 PM, 04.15.2014