The North Okangan Hospice Society asks the question, “What are your most important wishes if life were short?”
The society will explore the question further in a free two-hour interactive workshop for care partners who are living with a serious illness or aging. This workshop, “What are your Most Important Wishes,” will be held May 3 in Armstrong from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pleasant Valley Health Centre; May 3 in Vernon from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Schubert Centre; May 4 in Lumby from 1 to 3 p.m. at the White Valley Community Hall.
“Increasingly, people are showing interest in thinking about and sharing their wishes for future health care but they don’t know where to start,” said Lorrianne Topf, learning and effectiveness leader for the North Okanagan Hospice Society. “They may hear words such as advance care planning or see brochures with words such as Speak Up or My Voice and wonder if the time is right to have future health conversations. They may hold off having these conversations because they think they are too busy, too young, not ill enough, or that they may upset the other person. However, this conversation is about how they would want to live their lives if life were short. Having this discussion early can help to make this valuable time more rewarding and less stressful.
“Bring your partner, relative, or best friend and join us in a workshop to learn ways to start this conversation. We will have conversations about what matters most if life were short; why it is important to discuss your wishes with someone you are close to and how to do it; and who would speak up for you if you were unable.”
The workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Carole Robinson, a professor in the School of Nursing at UBC Okanagan. She has experience with assisting families to live well with serious life-limiting illness and advance care planning. Co-facilitators include staff from Interior Health and North Okanagan Hospice Society.
The society is pleased with the many partnerships that have been developed in planning this workshop, which is funded in part by the BC Centre for Palliative Care Seed Grant Program and the Community Foundation of the North Okanagan.
Space is limited and the pre-registration is required by April 26. To register, call Tanya at the North Okanagan Hospice Society at 250-503-1800, extension 101, or email tanya@nohs.ca.