National Healthcare Decisions Day was established in 2006 to inspire, educate and empower the public and service providers about the importance of advance care planning.
It is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding health care and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes. Founder and Chair Nathan Kottkamp is a partner in the Richmond, Va., office of McGuireWoods.
The theme for this year is “It always seems too early, until it’s too late.” The official date was April 16, but in Jacksonville, a team of pro bono attorneys and paralegals observed it on April 21.
Beth Rothenberg, partner at the Jacksonville office of McGuireWoods, initiated the local day of service.
In 2015, a team of pro bono attorneys, paralegals and notaries from McGuireWoods along with colleagues from the legal team at Citi Bank, prepared advance directives for low-income patients at MCCI Clinic Normandy.
Rothenberg thought it was fitting this year to mark the day with a local event, so she reached out to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Sharyl Lopez had indicated to JALA that many senior residents at Campus Towers Apartments needed advance directives. Campus Towers is a HUD residential facility for low-income seniors and Lopez serves as the service coordinator.
Advance Directives for Seniors events are scheduled on two days.
On the first day, seniors gather for a group information session, where they learn the purpose of four advance directive documents: Durable power of attorney, designation of healthcare surrogate, designation of pre-need guardian and the living will.
On the second day, attorneys meet with seniors to create and execute the documents.
The seniors come prepared for their appointments with the names and contact information of their designees and their picture identification cards so documents are completed, notarized and legally valid when the senior leaves his or her appointment.
These McGuireWoods attorneys staffed the event at Campus Towers: Beth Rothenberg, Sarah Hulsberg, Cameron Kynes, Emily Rottmann and Tyler Broadhead. They were assisted by paralegals and notaries David Henderson, Lynne Reynolds and Billie Jo Cook.
Twelve Campus Towers residents compicted their advance directives because of this team.
The importance of advance directives should never be underestimated.
Each of us hopes to age in dignity and safety. With legally recognized documents in place, we are better able to accomplish that goal.
The documents allow health care, banking and other professionals to act on our behalf and confer with those we trust.
This initiative and others like it are about serving each other with compassion, responsibility and respect.
Thanks to the pro bono assistance of the McGuireWoods team, more seniors can enjoy stability and peace of mind.
For pro bono opportunities in the 4th Judicial Circuit, attorneys are encouraged to contact Para at [email protected].