Vanessa Rodriguez, MD, Shares Important Tips on Advanced Care Planning

May 15, 2018 08:30 - 10:00 am

On May 15th, Vanessa Rodriquez, M.D., Assistant Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, shared important information on a potentially difficult topic with 70 CHV members and friends.

Following an introduction by CHV President Gilda Wray, Dr. Rodriguez emphasized that the rules and regulations surrounding end of life issues can be stressful for individuals and families to navigate, especially when a crisis situation catches them unprepared. To help deal with such situations, Dr. Rodriguez highlighted practical information for addressing them in advance with smart, thorough planning, during a discussion entitled Taking Charge of My Care: What I Should Know About Advanced Care Planning.

Following her remarks, Dr. Rodriguez addressed a number of questions from the group, assisted by CHV member Dr. Lawrence Krakoff, and recommended a number of organizations that provide additional information related to different aspects of health care planning:

The Conversation Project (https://theconversationproject.org/), dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care

ABA’s Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning (https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging), which offers a list of the most commonly used legal documents necessary for advanced care planning

Prepare for Your Care (https://prepareforyourcare.org/) which provides a step-by-step program to help give you a voice in your medical care, to talk with doctors and to give your family and friends peace of mind

Caring Kind (https://www.caringkindnyc.org), “the Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving”, which offers information for both caregivers and those in need, including free support programs.

At the close of the session, the Carnegie Hill Village hosts made available copies of two handouts that should prove useful in the health care planning process, a checklist of essential documents and related information, and templates for three specific documents that are central to it, a health care proxy, a DNR order and a living will.

Our thanks to Dr. Rodriguez for agreeing to share her expertise with CHV, and to The Brick Presbyterian Church for hosting us.

Chris Robinson, Roberta & Larry Krakoff, Event Hosts