Kreamer & Lum to host 'And After I am Gone' advance care planning event

Too often, loved ones or the important people in our lives are burdened with difficult and conflicting decisions if we have not reviewed and discussed our decisions about legal, financial, spiritual, or burial issues for when we are dying.

During this session, learn how to prepare in advance to relieve this burden. Engaging in this process puts you in control of how your life is celebrated, and how your wishes and values are honored after you are gone. Valuable planning resources will be shared with the participants.

A unique educational opportunity to help people plan for the care they desire as they approach the end of their life, as well as any memorialization that they wish to have following their death, is happening on Monday, November 11th from 6 – 8 p.m. at the
Kreamer and Lum Funeral Home and Crematory at 5 Campmeeting Road in Jonestown.

“And After I am Gone???” is the program being presented that evening. This program will help people look ahead and assist in the planning process for their care at the end of their life. As a result, their loved ones will not be burdened by decisions that are extremely diﬃcult at a time of emotional crisis.

Co-sponsored by the Kreamer and Lum Funeral Home and Crematory and the Advance Care Planning (ACP) Coalition of the Aging Inspired Initiative, a project of the Community Health Council of Lebanon County, the program will feature advance care planning principles, spiritual and religious planning decisions to be considered, and information on how to ensure that one’s funeral/burial planning is in place. This is a program similar to the highly regarded one held at the Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory in Annville in April.

For the last six years, the ACP Coalition, has oﬀered programming to any community organization, church, group or individual about determining, documenting and sharing one’s wishes for their care at the end of their life. The Coalition oﬀers a variety of programs on how sharing one’s values and wishes can be a stress-reducing experience. It can actually enable individuals to concentrate on living their life to the fullest, and not be anxious or worried about how it will end. Topics on which the Coalition provides programs include (but are not limited to)… 1. the elements of advance care planning, 2. how palliative and hospice care can support one’s health care journey with serious illness, 3. the importance of planning prior to any dementia diagnosis and the impact of not having advance directives completed before the loss of capacity, 4. caregiving for those terminally ill, and 5. the role of a Death Doula in end-of-life care. Members of the Coalition are also certified to provide opportunities for groups to play the HELLO Game® or participate in a Death Cafe®.

As a result of programs conducted by the ACP Coalition, hundreds of Lebanon County residents have taken action to ensure that they have had critical conversations about their goals and values for end-of-life care. This has also led to the completion of Living Will and Power of Attorney for Healthcare documents (advance directives), at no cost to these individuals.

Members of the Coalition strongly advise… “Don’t be scared, squeamish, confused or in denial. Come learn how to start the conversation, and how to put your plans in place for the future. Even if you cannot imagine what your death may be like or when it will happen, you can share what is most important to you and what gives your life meaning with those in your life who should know this information long before you come to the end of your life.”

Speakers for the evening will be Roberta Geidner, a Respecting Choices Certified Facilitator and Instructor in advance care planning conversations, a Five Wishes Certified Facilitator and presenter, a Common Practice Certified Host for the HELLO game and Co-coordinator of the Advance Care Planning Coalition; Rev. Deanna Geiter, minister of the Cornwall United Methodist Church and former pastor of the Lickdale UMC; Kathleen Hetrick, Co-coordinator of the ACP Coalition and Christian Kreamer, Supervisor of the Kreamer and Lum Funeral Home and Crematory, the site of the event.

Join this panel of experts at 6:00 p.m. on Monday evening, November 11th, in Jonestown, to participate in this engaging and enlightening discussion. Light refreshments and free materials will be provided, so registration is recommended. Register by calling Christian Kreamer at 717-867-4811 or emailing him at christian@kreamerfuneralhome.org.

Do not let your death be even more heartbreaking and diﬃcult because you failed to have “the conversation” and plan ahead.

PROGRAM: AND AFTER I AM GONE???

WHEN:	November 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE:	Kreamer and Lum Funeral Home and Crematory, 5 Campmeeting Road, Jonestown, PA
WHO SHOULD COME:	Since we all will die someday, everyone should come to listen, learn and be prepared to help your loved ones or the important people in your life know your wishes.

To register contact Christian Kreamer at Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory, by email at christian@kreamerfuneralhome.com or by phone at 717-867-4811.

Light refreshments will be served. For more information or if you have questions, call Christian Kreamer, Supervisor or Roberta Geidner, Advance Care Planning Presenter with Aging Inspired ACP Coalition, at 410-207-8829.

The difference a conversation can make

By Roberta Geidner, CEO, RGA Consulting Services

In 1789, Benjamin Franklin said that “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Letter to John Baptiste Le Roy, November 13, 1789)

We recognize the reality of taxes on April 15th, yet most of us are not comfortable with any conversation about what is needed to help us with death and dying. In 1990, however, through the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 passed by the US Congress, we began to understand the need for conversations to prepare for end-of-life wishes to be honored.

Eventually, Nathan A. Kottkamp, JD, MA(Bioethics) founded National Healthcare Decisions Day on April 16th to recognize the extraordinary failure of individuals to make their healthcare wishes known. The majority of us have suffered needlessly and caused considerable heartbreak for our loved ones or the important people in our lives as a result.

As the Aging Inspired Advance Care Planning (ACP) Coalition of Lebanon County observes the importance of National Healthcare Decisions Day, we recognize it is critically important to spread the information of how to have these conversations with your family, loved ones, or important people in your life. Your physicians and others who will care for you also need to know this information so they can honor your goals and values for end-of-life care.

For the last six years, the ACP Coalition has developed programming that we offer to any community organization, church, group or individual. We offer programs on advance care planning, palliative care services and hospice care, dementia, and the impact of not having advance directives completed before the loss of capacity, caregiving for those terminally ill, and other programs. We have also provided opportunities to groups to play the Hello Game® or participate in a Death Cafe®.

As a result, hundreds of Lebanon County residents have taken action to ensure that they have critical conversations about their goals and values for end-of-life care, and then have completed their Living Will and Power of Attorney for Healthcare documents (advance directives).Our next program, “And After I am Gone???”, will be in collaboration with Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory in Annville for anyone who wishes to learn about what to do after they are gone. We will cover advance care planning principles, spiritual and religious planning, and how to ensure your legal, financial, and funeral/burial planning is in place so your loved ones are not burdened by decisions that are conflicting and difficult in this time of emotional crisis.

Do not let your death be even more heartbreaking and difficult because you failed to have the conversation and plan ahead. Even if you cannot imagine what your death may be like or when it will happen, you can share what is most important to you and what gives your life meaning. From having my mother, father, husband, and very dear friends die over the last few decades, I can share first-hand what a difference these conversations can make for you and the people you care about the most.

Join the Advance Care Planning Coalition of the Aging Inspired Coalition of Lebanon County, an initiative of the Community Health Council of Lebanon County and Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory in Annville on April 15th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for a very engaging and enlightening discussion with a panel of experts. Register for the evening by calling Christian Kreamer at 717-867-4811 or emailing him at christian@kreamerfuneralhome.org.

Don’t be scared, squeamish, confused or in denial. Come learn how to start “the conversation,” and how to put your plans in place for the future.