Hospice of the Western Reserve Supports National Healthcare Decisions Day April 16, 2012

CLEVELAND, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hospice of the Western Reserve, along with other national, state and community organizations, is leading a nationwide effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2012 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).

As a participating organization, Hospice of the Western Reserve offers a free booklet, "Courage in Conversation: A Personal Guide," to help guide individuals and their families through the advance care planning process. The booklet outlines a four-step process designed to help make this conversation a little easier, and includes the official legal documents required by the State of Ohio for creating a Living Will and designating a Health Care Power of Attorney. The booklet is available by calling toll free, 855.852.5050, or can be downloaded free of charge from the agency's Website at  http://www.hospicewr.org/plan.

"End-of-life planning is an important decision that should be discussed early on in life, while a person is still healthy and empowered to make their personal wishes known," said Bill Finn, Chief Executive Officer at Hospice of the Western Reserve. "Starting the conversation early ultimately relieves stress by giving families time to understand their loved ones' wishes and finalize their plans. Having a plan in place protects family members from the agonizing situation of having to guess what their loved ones would want should they become incapacitated and unable to speak for themselves. It's one of the most compassionate gifts an individual can give to his or her family."

In support of National Healthcare Decisions Day, Hospice of the Western Reserve is hosting advance care planning presentations and displays community-wide throughout April to help families looking for resources. For a list of locations, click here: http://www.hospicewr.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Advance-Care-Planning_Presentation-List2.pdf.

About Hospice of the Western Reserve

Hospice of the Western Reserve is a community-based, non-profit agency providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families. The agency cares for people in a variety of settings including the home, hospital, long-term care facility and at David Simpson Hospice House overlooking Lake Erie. Opening soon will be the Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake. For more information, visit hospicewr.org or call 800.707.8922.

CONTACT: Laurie Henrichsen, +1-216-701-1768, [email protected]

SOURCE Hospice of the Western Reserve