Recently, we lost a beloved client of five years. We provided support and guidance through many phases of his later years of life, including multiple health complications.  The value of our support was never more apparent than when we worked with him to address healthcare planning.  We cared deeply about making sure that his wishes…

Suppose you learn your mother has just been admitted to the Emergency Room. As your mother’s caregiver, you ask the ER staff “what’s wrong and what treatment she is getting.”  The  doctor or nurse replies that they can’t release that information  ‘because of HIPAA’.  According to The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a …

Stonebridge of Burlington, an assisted living community and Honoring Choices Community Partner, is leading the way in helping residents and their families open the door to health care planning discussions. As of July 1, 2015, all assisted living residences are required to ask residents at a pre-assessment screening whether they have “a legal representative or…

Every competent adult, 18 years old and older, has the right to choose a Health Care Agent in a Health Care Proxy. But how do adults with little or no English language understand and exercise their right to choose an Agent?  To improve access to this vital document, we have translated the honoring Choices Health…

A group of 80 professionals from primary care, senior care, the faith community, the disability community, home care, hospitals, hospice, and attorneys all  gathered at the April 16 Community Networking Conference to enjoy a powerful morning of  working together to create a network of coordinated goal-centered care and services for adults in their community.  …

The old adage that the only certainties of life are paying taxes and death is well known.  While paying taxes is not always inevitable, death does remain an absolute certainty.  Along with death comes the necessity of disposing of our remains.  The overwhelming sentiment, informed no doubt by our basic human nature to deny our…

Good Shepherd Community Care’s Spring Educational Series kicks-off next Thursday, March 26. Programs are a free community service offered by Good Shepherd Institute. Continuing Education Credits are available for nurses, social workers & marriage & family therapists.  Here are two educational programs being offered:   What’s the Difference Anyway? Suicidal Ideation in Hospice Dr. Kate…

Honoring Choices is pleased to offer care professionals, community groups, clergy and lay leaders, health care professionals- ANYONE who engages adults and families in health care planning discussions, the Respecting Choices® First Steps ACP Facilitator Certification Course. Respecting Choices®, started in 1991 in La Crosse Wisconsin, is an internationally recognized evidence-based advance care planning program…

Honoring Choices Massachusetts is pleased to be selected as the State Liaison for April 16, 2015 National Health Care Decisions Day. To recognize the day, we invite community groups, care professionals, and health care providers from across the Commonwealth to join us for a community networking conference, “Working Together: Building a Strong Network of Person-Centered…

New State Regulations for Adults with Serious Advancing Illness On December 19, 2014, new state regulations went into effect that require all licensed hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities to distribute information regarding a full range of end of life care options to adults with serious advancing illness. To help physicians and nurse practitioners easily…