Donna Kelso, a board member with the Desert Valley Hospice Society, is inviting local residents to a free workshop being held at the Sonora Community Centre on Saturday, April 16 in conjunction with National Advanced Care Planning Day across Canada. (Keith Lacey file photo)
Up until the past few years, it was virtually taboo to talk about planning for death and everything that entails – including planning your own funeral as well as finalizing all legal and financial considerations.
“Very few people want to talk about things like this, but you have to think about it if you want to lessen the burden on family members and those you care about,” said Donna Kelso, a member of the board of directors with the Desert Valley Hospice Society.
The Desert Valley Hospice Society is doing its part to help celebrate National Advance Care Planning Day by sponsoring workshops in Osoyoos and Oliver on Saturday, April 16.
The Osoyoos presentation will take place at 2 p.m. at the Sonora Community Centre, while the Oliver presentation will take place at 11 a.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall.
There are simply no more excuses when it comes to advance care planning as there’s no such thing as being too busy, too young or too depressed to make the key decisions needed for those having to deal with critical end-of-life issues,” said Kelso.
“The reality is we’re all going to die and preparing for death is part of living,” she said. “We have a responsibility to our children and other family members to make all the important decisions pertaining to end-of-life issues while we’re still in relatively good physical and mental health and still able to make those decisions.
“For far too long, the majority of people would put off making these crucial decisions until it was too late.”
The workshops in Osoyoos and Oliver will both feature two components in relation to advance care planning, she said.
The first will involve medical and health decisions such as detailing funeral plans and issues surrounding what to do in terms of prolonging life if a serious medical emergency was to happen.
The second portion will focus on legal and financial ramifications and what people should do to ensure their wishes are followed when it comes to sharing assets and money once they die.
Aaron McRann, the executive director with the South Okanagan Community Foundation, will be the guest speaker at both workshops and will address the legal and financial ramifications related to advance care planning, said Kelso.
Research has shown that advance care planning significantly reduces stress, depression and anxiety in family members and caregivers who know the wishes of someone facing end of life decisions, while allowing them to act with confidence on these important issues, she said.
“Advance care planning is a process of communicating your future health care wishes and deciding on a substitute decision maker – someone who could speak for you if you couldn’t speak for yourself,” she said. “Desert Valley Hospice Society is proud to celebrate National Advance Care Planning day and we hope that you will participate with us by sharing information and having these important conversations with family and friends.”
Both workshops are being offered free of charge.
Meanwhile, volunteers with the Desert Valley Hospice Society are being kept busy preparing for the annual Hike for Hospice events in Osoyoos and Oliver.
This year’s event will take place on Sunday, May 1 in both communities.
For a decade, there was only one regional Hike for Hospice held in Oliver, but organizers decided to hold separate events both Osoyoos and Oliver two years ago and both hikes have had excellent results since, said Kelso.
The Hike for Hospice is a unique national fundraising event for hospice societies to raise money and awareness about palliative care in their respective communities.
Funds raised through the Hike for Hospice event go directly to hospice societies to ensure they can continue to do their good work in ensuring more Canadians receive the end-of-life care they wish for, said Kelso.
The Oliver hike will again take place from Lion’s Park and walk along the hike and bike trail in Oliver.
In Osoyoos, the hike will take place along the canal trail.
Both hikes will begin at noon, with registration starting at 11 a.m.
Pledge sheets will be made available in the next few days.
Local residents can support the cause by either participating in the hike or donating pledges to someone who will be hiking.
If anyone needs more information, they can contact the Desert Valley Hospice Society at 250-495-1590.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
