Community Corner
Community Update
Hospice of the Valley to Present 2 Free Community
Forums Aug. 22 on Advance Health Care Directives
Forums a collaboration among Hospice of the Valley, Yu-Ai
Kai, and Bay Area News Group
SAN JOSE,
Calif., –
Hospice of the Valley, a leading provider in advancing palliative, hospice
care, community grief support and education in Northern California, will present
two community forums on “Planning for Your Future on Advance Health Care
Directives” in August.
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Produced in
collaboration with Hospice of the Valley, Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center of Japantown,
and Bay Area News Group, the forums are free and open to the public and will be
held from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 22, and repeated from 6 to 8 p.m., at Yu-Ai Kai,
588 N. Fourth Street, San
Jose.
The
forums will feature Lisa Krieger, national award-winning San Jose Mercury News science and
medicine journalist and author of “The Cost
of Dying” series, and Gary Bertuccelli,
manager of social work and spiritual care at Hospice of the Valley.
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Attendees
will receive a complimentary copy of an advance health care directive as Krieger
and Bertuccelli explain and discuss each section of the document while sharing
their respective insights and perspectives on advance planning and more.
The advance
health care planning forums will help the public:
- Understand the importance of
an advance directive. - Make informed choices about
their medical care. - Discover what palliative
care is. - Learn how to choose a health
care “agent.”
“According to
the California HealthCare Foundation, 82 percent of Californians say it is
important to have end-of-life wishes in writing. However, only 23 percent have
done so,” said Sally Adelus, president and CEO of Hospice of the Valley. “By
considering your options and having the conversations early, you can ensure
your wishes are honored and avoid having your family make critical medical care
decisions for you under extreme stress.”
“We are pleased
to bring this timely and invaluable advance health care planning forum to Yu-Ai
Kai and to our local community and
provide this much needed community service,” said Sophie
C. Horiuchi-Forrester, executive
director of Yu-Ai Kai.
“An advance
health care directive lets your physician, family and friends know what your
health care preferences are,” said Neal Slatkin,
MD, vice president of medical services/chief medical officer with Hospice of
the Valley. “This includes the special treatment you want or don't want at the
end of life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, CPR and
organ donation.”
The public is
encouraged to attend this free community forum and bring a friend or family
member. Donations to Hospice of the Valley are appreciated. To register, visit
hospicevalley.org/ahcpforum or call Jeanne Wun at 1.408.559.5600 x5423
or email jwun@hospicevalley.org.
About Hospice
of the Valley
Hospice of the
Valley is a nonprofit organization in Silicon Valley
that provides serious illness and end-of-life care programs and services,
including palliative and hospice care, grief counseling for adults, children
and families, and emotional support, education and practical assistance. The
organization also provides individual counseling and loss-specific support
groups to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Established in
July 2013, the Palliative Care Center Silicon Valley™, the first independent,
community-based, outpatient center of its kind in California for seriously ill patients and
their families, is a division of Hospice of the Valley. Hospice of the Valley
also provides a community resource website for caregivers and families at seriousillness.org/santaclaracounty. Serving
Santa Clara
County since
1979, Hospice of the Valley honors all cultures, beliefs, values and traditions
and is committed to serving its diverse community and providing equitable
access to care for all regardless of financial ability. For more information,
call 408.559.5600 or visit hospicevalley.org.
About Yu-Ai Kai
Serving the community with friendship and love, Yu-Ai Kai Japanese American Community
Senior Service is a nonprofit senior center located in Japantown San Jose.
Founded in 1974, Yu-Ai Kai is committed to serving seniors with an array of
activities, programs and services. Yu-Ai Kai offers a well-balanced senior day
care program, a nutritious lunch service, social services, and a variety of
classes, activities and trips for seniors, designed around their Healthy Aging
Initiative. For more information, visit yuaikai.org.
About Bay Area News Group
The San Jose
Mercury News, a part of the Bay Area News Group (BANG) is committed to
the health and vitality of our local communities. BANG believes in social
responsibility and community involvement and promotes these values not only in
their coverage of the community, but also by their active support for
organizations and causes which serve the public interest and well-being. For
more information, visit mercurynews.org or medianewsgroup.com.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Hospice of the
Valley
Jeanne Wun
