Kupu Care Offers Free Talk on Advance Healthcare Directives

Kupu Care, a community-based palliative care program offered exclusively in East Hawai‘i by Hospice of Hilo, invites the public to a free community talk—“Why Does Everyone Need an Advanced Health Care Directive” —on Wednesday, May 3, from 5 to 6 p.m. at the organization’s Community Building in Hilo.

The session will be presented by Kupu Care Clinical Relations Manager Lani Weigert.

“This program focuses on bringing relief from symptoms caused by treatments for those suffering from serious illness,” explained Weigert. “Kupu Care currently focuses on providing support and relief to both the patient and their caregivers who are dealing with advanced congestive heart failure or cancer.”

This month’s talk will focus on advanced healthcare directives. Developed as a result of widespread concerns over patients undergoing medical treatments and procedures in an effort to preserve life at any cost, from a practical standpoint, medical directives and living wills facilitate a person’s medical care and decision-making in situations when they are temporarily or permanently unable make decisions or verbalize their decisions.

By having previously documented personal wishes and preferences, the family’s and physicians’ immense decision-making burden is lightened. At the same time, patient autonomy and dignity are preserved by tailoring medical care based on one’s own choices regardless of mental or physical capacity.

“Medical technology makes it possible for patients with little or no hope of recovery to be kept alive for months or even years,” said Weigert. “This makes it important to discuss what kind of care you want before serious illness occurs. For those who don’t have an advanced healthcare directive, we will discuss how that process is done, and why its so important to have one. We will explore ideas and beliefs that affect our end of life decisions, who should be involved and the type of medical care you do or don’t want.”

Those interested in attending the talk are asked to RSVP no later than Tuesday, May 2, by contacting Weigert at (808) 934-2913 or online at www.kupucare.org (events).

The Kupu Care Community Building is located at 1011 Waiānuenue Ave.