April is Health Care Decisions Month, and Springwell is pleased to announce that we are launching the Advance Directives Project to address the lack of end-of-life planning among seniors in our programs. Understanding end-of-life-care choices and being able to talk about them with family and health providers are important for all adults but especially for seniors. A survey of 1,886 seniors in Springwell programs found that 70% of them did not have any advance directive documents, and another 24% did not know if they did. Springwell’s new project will help interested seniors develop and write down their personal decisions with the aid of a specially trained care advisor.

Bob Morley (pictured here with Springwell Care Advisor, Ann Fucci) is one senior who supports Springwell’s new initiative. Bob lost his sister last summer, and he is still upset about how her medical care negatively affected the end of her life. Bob does not know if he has an advance directive in place, but he is open to the idea of talking to someone about it. “I think it’s a good program,” he said. “The idea is to be ahead of the game.”

In joining the growing national movement to promote conversations and planning about end-of-life care, Springwell is ensuring that the seniors we serve are included in this important work.

Springwell is very grateful to the Leaves of Grass Fund for project funding, and we are proud to partner with Honoring Choices Massachusetts, a private nonprofit that provides staff training and support. For support and tools to put in place your own health care plan, visit their ” Getting Started Tool Kit.”