Website of the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care

Quick Links:     ¬ Maine Hospice Event -- Aug 23, Brunswick
¬ 14th Annual Maine Pain Initiative Symposium -- Sep. 16-17, Samoset
¬ The Pervasive Influence of Grief and Loss on Mental Health -- Oct. 17, Eastland Park, Portland
¬ Annual Maine Hospice Council Retreat -- Oct 24-26, Sugarloaf
¬ Hot Topics in Hospice / Annual Blaine House Tea -- Nov 12, Augusta

We're Only Human

By Kandyce Powell, MSN, RN

One year ago the media and the nation were focused on Terri Schiavo as her loved ones endured a very
personal situation in a very public arena.  As a result, many people found themselves confronting the inevitable:
One day all of us will die. 

Americans are not comfortable talking about death, let alone planning for it.  In fact, most families spend more
time planning for their annual summer vacation than they do for a medical emergency.  Terri Schiavo changed
that for many people.

There is a valuable lesson to be learned from the family crisis that the world watched last year.  A lesson rooted
in the pain that the Schiavos and Schindlers experienced in the spotlight of the media. Terri’s situation taught us
the importance of making our wishes known to our loved ones, health care providers, clergy and all those we
care about and who care about us. 

There is something people can do to make sure they avoid the tragic conflict that played out in Florida last year:
Plan for what you would want at the end of your life.

The attention of Maine people was directed to the importance of advance planning on June 14-15, by Governor
Baldacci’s proclamation designating those days as “Advance Directives Days” throughout the State of Maine. 

In a 2005 survey, 55% of Maine residents said they had had a conversation with someone about how they want to die;
only 50% had a living will, 36% had a durable power of attorney for health care.  Planning is important whether you
want every medical intervention available up until the moment you die or if you want to spend your final days at
home, surrounded by family, focusing on comfort care and quality of life. 

What matters is that you make your wishes known by completing an advance directive and talking about it with your
loved ones. You have choices and an advance directive is an important step in making sure your wishes are honored. 
Advance directives  both living wills and medical powers of attorney  provide a secure and legal method of
communicating decisions about personal future medical needs to loved ones and medical providers.

An advance directive is also a gift to those you love.  Should your spouse, sibling, parent or child ever find themselves
in the position to make medical choices for you because you can’t speak for yourself, you’ve let them know what’s
most important to you.

In the past year, the Maine Hospice Council and the Maine Center for End-of-Life Care have provided more than
600 free advance directive forms to the people of Maine as requested through the toll-free number, 800-438-5963. 
Many more have been downloaded through the Council’s website www.mainehospicecouncil.org.

If you were one of those who called, emailed or downloaded information about advance directives, that’s wonderful. 
But you must do more than request the form… do more than complete the form… do more than give the form to
your physician, family and friends: Use the form to help you talk to people about these issues and your wishes for
the end of your life. 

Planning for the inevitable is about how you, your family, friends, neighbors and all of us LIVE.  Don’t let death just
happen to you – live every day with the dignity, grace and confidence that comes with making your wishes known. 

The Maine Hospice Council and Maine Center for End-of-Life Care, a non-profit, donor supported organization,
provides free advance care planning documents and educational resources as part of its work to improve end-of-life
care in Maine.  Call 1-800-438-5963 or visit our website www.mainehospicecouncil.org for a free copy.

Kandyce Powell is the Executive Director of the Maine Hospice Council and Maine Center for End-of-Life Care,
a non-profit dedicated to improving end-of-life care for the people of Maine. The Maine Hospice Council
provides education, advocacy, technical assistance, and research to consumers and hospice care providers
around the state.

This site supported in part by funds from the Administration on Aging.

The Maine Hospice Council is a MaineShare Member Organization. For more information on workplace giving, please click here.

This page created by Al Hipkins using donated and low cost software and hardware. Please see our Acknowledgements page for a list of contributors and links to their sites.

Shipping: 693 Western Avenue, Manchester, Maine 04351
Mailing: PO Box 2239, Augusta, Maine, 04338-2239
Toll-free: (800) 438-5963  Local: (207) 626-0651  Fax: (207) 622-1274  
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