Staff photo/Kathy McCartyMAINE ATTORNEY GENERAL Steven Rowe visited Presque Isle Oct. 17, taking part in a town meeting hosted by the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care. Here, Rowe speaks at UMPI’s Campus Center on ways to better deal with end-of-life decisions. Seated in the front row are: Sara Hayman, a volunteer coordinator with the council; and Kandyce Powell, executive director of the council.
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE –The public needs to be more informed about “decisions on end-of-life care being made in advance.” That was the message from Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe during a town meeting at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Campus Center held Oct. 18.
The event, hosted by the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care, was entitled “A Conversation with the Attorney General: Perspectives on End-of-Life Care.”
“We’re interested to learn what similarities and differences exist, what concerns citizens in various parts of the state,” said Sara Hayman, a volunteer with the Council.
Kandyce Powell, executive director of the Council, said too often people find themselves in a position needing help with end-of-life decisions but don’t know where to turn. That’s where organizations like hers come into play. Meetings have been scheduled throughout the state to gather citizen input, with Powell and others on hand to provide whatever information they can to make decisions easier for those dealing with life’s final moments.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with the Office of the Attorney General since 2003. We’ve held several conferences since then with health care professionals. But the voice missing (at those meetings) has been your voice – the community voice,” Powell told those attending the meeting at UMPI. “We’re here to listen to you.”
Rowe introduced the discussion panel for the evening: Ruth Collins, an RN with Visiting Nurses of Aroostook – Hospice of Aroostook; Martha Grant, a Presque Isle attorney who’s worked closely with the elderly since opening a practice in the Star City; Rev. George McLaughlin, of Wade; and Dr. David Jones, hospice medical director for central Aroostook.
“The rest of the evening is yours. This is about and for you,” Rowe told the audience. “We want to hear your thoughts. The panel is here to help answer your questions.”
Rowe said question-and-comment sessions across the state serve as an evaluation tool to help determine what is working and what isn’t for people faced with making decisions in the event of a terminal illness or other end-of-life issue. His experience working with youth and the elderly was one of the reasons he was asked to take part in the town meetings.
For Rowe, one of the key issues is health care.
“Data shows that 80 percent of individuals share the same end-of-life vision. They want to be without pain, surrounded by friends and family. It’s not about dying; it’s about living free of pain and increasing the quality of life at the end,” said Rowe.
That’s where he said hospice care comes into play.
“Do you know about it? Have you used it? What do you want done? What’s going right and what’s going wrong?” Rowe asked the audience.
Often, end-of-life decisions are left to the next of kin when an individual becomes too ill or incapacitated to make decisions on their own. That’s where advanced health care directives – otherwise known as living wills – can make things much easier for all involved.
“Family members often don’t know what people want. I call it the Connecticut Syndrome. People come from out of state when someone dies not knowing what was wanted,” said Jones.
That’s why it’s so important for patients to communicate to loved ones just what they want done, said Jones.
“It’s about communication. You have to pick someone you trust with your wishes and communicate to the hospital and doctor what’s wanted,” said Rowe. “My mother had one. She knew she was going to save so much grief and trouble. It really worked.”
Rowe advised those in attendance that such documents can be revoked or changed at any time.
“It’s not forever,” said Rowe.
McLaughlin noted communication was important not just for hospitals and doctors.
“It’s not just medical, (an advanced directive) helps with funeral and burial arrangements,” said McLaughlin.
Cost is not an issue, since many hospitals and doctors’ offices provide them for free.
“Patients need to be educated. There’s no cost to prepare an advanced directive,” said Jones.
Jones said it was surprising how uneducated the public is.
“People need to try to deal with end-of-life events before they occur,” said Jones. “I prefer for a family to push me for what is wanted rather than me having to ask. But too often they feel going for information pushes the fact a person is dying.”
Powell said like it or not, end-of-life decisions are something everyone will have to deal with at some point.
“It’s an ‘everybody’ issue,” said Powell. “People often aren’t aware what’s available in their community. People don’t know the questions to ask to get the information they need. We as health care professionals don’t just provide health care, we provide information.”
To get that information to the public, meetings have been scheduled across the state. Sessions began in September and conclude in November. Meetings were scheduled in: Lewiston, Machias, Waterville, Bangor, Presque Isle, Damariscotta and Portland.
Since 1984, the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care has been creating innovative opportunities, fostering collaboration and serving as convener and educator for end-of-life issues. The Council has been, and remains, the only statewide non-profit devoted solely to improving end-of-life care in Maine.
For more information, call 626-0651 or visit www.mainehospicecouncil.org.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
PANELISTS taking part in a program entitled Community Conversation about End-of-Life Care included, from left: Martha Grant, a local attorney who’s worked closely with area senior citizens; Ruth Collins, RN, Visiting Nurses of Aroostook – Hospice of Aroostook; Rev. George McLaughlin, of Wade; and Dr. David Jones, hospice medical director for Central Aroostook. The town meeting, held at UMPI’s Campus Center on Oct. 17, provided an opportunity for caretakers, patients and loved ones to express concerns and come up with answers on how to best deal with end-of-life issues.
