Community Cares Coalition

Community Conversations Programs

The Community Cares Coalition provides a FREE Advance Care Planning Program called "Community Conversations for Compassionate Care".  "Community Conversations" is a facilitated group discussion on Advance Care Directives led by trained lay and health professionals.

The goal of "Community Conversations" is to promote conversations and actions that will help ensure that an individual's wishes will be honored in case they are unable to speak for themselves.

• Educate you about Advance Care Planning: planning for medical care in case you are unable to make your own decisions due to illness or injury
• Teach you how to select a suitable Spokesperson (the "Agent" in the Health Care Proxy)
• Teach you how to ensure that your wishes will be understood and honored
• Increase your comfort level in discussing death and dying
• Promote conversations and actions that will lead to the completion or update of your Health Care Proxy form.

A "Community Conversation" lasts about one to two hours and can be brought to an existing meeting of a community group. In turn, conversations can extend to the rest of the community represented by that group.

While there are core components of the program, each "Conversation" can be shaped to meet the needs of a particular audience.

• The facilitator reflecting/sharing his/her personal story about a meaningful experience with death;
• Facilitated discussions in pairs/small groups about personal wishes and experiences with death;
• Facilitated discussions on issues to consider when choosing a Spokesperson, and
• A short presentation outlining the specifics of Advance Care Planning; what it is, why it is important, how to choose a Spokesperson, life sustaining treatments, and practical issues related to Advance Care Planning.

Each participant will receive a booklet containing all necessary information and legal forms to complete the Advance Care Planning process (New York State Health Care Proxy and Living Will forms). Additionally while supplies last, participants will receive a "File of Life" for posting on refrigerators and other conspicuous places to hold paperwork and instructions for medical emergency first responders.

Cara Seekings, RNC, BS, and a Nurse Consultant for the CCHN and Community Cares Coalition will coordinate "Conversations".

If you are interested in scheduling a "Community Conversations" program in Chautauqua County for your group, please call the Chautauqua County Health Network at (716) 664-8445 or e-mail us at cchn@cchn.net.

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