×

Valley Hospice having free events to mark Healthcare Decisions Day

MAKING PLANS — Valley Hospice social workers and registered nurses will be on hand throughout April to answer questions and provide guidelines for advanced care planning as a part of National Healthcare Decisions Day. Helping to plan for the event are, from left, Valley Hospice team members Chris Orris, community liaison; Patricia Mozena, hospital liaison; and Robert Kolb, nursing facility liaison. -- Contributed

RAYLAND — Valley Hospice and other national, state and community organizations are leading an effort to highlight the importance of advance health care decision-making, which has led to the designation of April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day.

As a participating organization since the start of the program, Valley Hospice is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and health care providers, and execute written advance directives — health care power of attorney and living wills — in accordance with Ohio and West Virginia state laws.

“As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their health care decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Robert Kolb, Valley Hospice social worker. “Fewer families and health care providers will have to struggle with making difficult health care decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, and health care providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance health care planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor wishes when the time comes to do so.”

Valley Hospice social workers and registered nurses will be on hand throughout the month to answer questions and provide guidelines for those participating to create their own plan when they return home.

Events and co-sponsoring institutions include:

¯ Tuesday, U.S. Bank, Brilliant, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

¯ Tuesday, Marshall County Senior Center, Moundsville, 10 a.m. to noon.

¯ Thursday, Tri-State Pharmacy at Weirton Medical Center, Weirton, noon to 2 p.m.

¯ Friday, Belmont Community Hospital, Bellaire, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

¯ April 9, Millsop Community Center, Weirton, 8 a.m. to noon.

¯ April 10, Barnesville Senior Center, Barnesville, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

¯ April 12, Trinity Medical Center West, Steubenville, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

¯ April 13, Davis Brothers Pharmacy, New Cumberland, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

¯ April 16, Harrison Community Hospital, Cadiz, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

¯ April 17, YMCA, Calcutta, 9 a.m. to noon.

¯ April 18, Follansbee Senior Center, Follansbee, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

¯ April 19, Wheeling First Christian Church, Wheeling, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

¯ April 23, YMCA, Steubenville, 8 a.m. to noon.

¯ April 24, Prime Time Senior Center, Steubenville, 10 a.m. to noon.

¯ April 25, Mingo Senior Center, Mingo Junction, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

¯ April 26, Weirton Senior Center, Weirton, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

¯ April 27, YMCA, Steubenville, 8 a.m. to noon.

¯ April 30, YMCA, East Liverpool, 9 a.m. to noon.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today