Three Delta associations were honoured last month for their efforts to help local seniors plan for the future.
This year, Fraser Health’s Above and Beyond: Best in Collaboration award was presented to the Ladner United Church, Deltassist Family and Community Services Society, Delta Senior’s Planning Committee and Fraser Health for their work in creating a one-day seniors planning workshop. The award was one of nine given out during the health authority’s annual Above and Beyond awards ceremony on Sept. 26.
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The Planning for the Future workshop began as a desire from the Ladner United Church to provide an advanced care planning session for the parish members. Soon, it evolved into something more: a full-day workshop covering the medical, legal and financial implications of future planning for seniors.
“This conversation isn’t about death and dying, it’s about living,” Cari Hoffman, Fraser Health’s regional coordinator for advance care planning, said in a news release. “How do you want to live?”
The Planning for the Future workshop took place on March 10 at Ladner United Church. Over the course of the day, seniors could attend an advance care planning workshop lead by Hoffman; a legal presentation on wills, probate and the power of attorney; and a panel discussion with representatives from the medical, legal and financial fields.
Attendees could also visit booths from the Delta Police Department, Delta Hospice Society, Canadian Mental Health Society, Delta Funeral Home, the city’s parks and recreation department, the city’s seniors’ centres and the University of Victoria’s Centre on Aging.
The goal? Create conversation.
“It’s all about conversations,” Hoffman said. “It’s not just about paperwork and it’s not just about deciding whether you want to be resuscitated. It’s about equipping your loved ones to know what’s important to you.
“It can be complex because there’s legal aspects to this, but at the end of the day, if you’re talking and everyone’s on the same page, then you’ve done your job.”
The workshop team included Joan Angrignon, Muriel Cullen, Kay Dennison, Sandie Greene, Cari Borenko Hoffmann, Sandy Holland, Jane Marynowski, Iris Scott, Lyn Walker and Trish White.
grace.kennedy@northdeltareporter.com
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