Young Adults and Advance Care Planning

Advance care planning is process that enables individuals to make and share plans about their future health care in case one day they lose the ability to make their own decisions (due to illness, injury, or other temporary or permanent conditions). However, only 1 in 3 Americans have completed advance directives to document their wishes, and the rate is lower in young adults. There has been little research on advance care planning within young adult populations, but what has been conducted indicates that most young adults have never had an opportunity to share their wishes. We continue to see increases in the rate of heart failure, colorectal cancer, and certain other medical conditions in young adults, who also experience accidents and injuries at a higher rate than other adults. Therefore, we need to increase support and opportunities for young adults to complete advance care planning.

This interactive webinar will cover the basics about what an advance care plan is, and why young adults may need one and should create one of their own. We will also explore why conversations with young people are so difficult and provide some ideas to begin these discussions. We will then provide some resources for advance directives for young adults.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:

• Describe why every adult should have an advance directive
• Utilize strategies for starting end of life conversations with young adults
• Identify resources for advance care plans for young adults

About the End of Life Equity Webinar Series

There are numerous disparities in end-of-life care evident in both patient preparedness prior to death and their experience of dying. At the end of life, when individuals are often at their most vulnerable, discrimination and injustice can take several forms including poor pain management, inadequate communication between healthcare providers and families, and medical interventions without true informed consent. This has immense ramifications for marginalized communities, leading to exacerbated suffering during one of life’s most important, intimate, and universal moments.

We believe change will happen when we confront these inequities by committing to, and investing in, the resources, care, and strategies required to address them. This end of life equity webinar series will offer insight into the needs and experiences of a variety of New York communities, and strategies to advocate and support these communities in planning for and navigating the end of life. All are welcome to attend, and end-of-life professionals are encouraged to register.

Continuing Education

End of Life Choices New York, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0464). Attending the webinar counts as 1.5 contact hours.

The webinar series will also be of value to other professionals, and certificates of completion will be available for any attendee who needs, or would benefit from, this documentation.

End of Life Choices New York and other event hosts are creating spaces as a part of Reimagine's event series. Click here for a list of other events.

Presenter

Mandi Zucker's 25+ year career has been defined by work in end of life and grief support. Beginning in hospice, she has focused on supporting people through illness and bereavement. She has worked in hospitals, nonprofit settings, higher education, for profit companies and schools, specializing in volunteer management, program development, education and training. Mandi became involved with EOLCNY in 2008 as a volunteer and has been an advocate for patients ever since. Mandi has spoken nationally about grief, anticipatory grief and how to be an advocate for your own needs at the end of life. She also sees clients privately for therapy as they contemplate end of life and bereavement. Mandi earned a Bachelor's degree in Child Development and Child Care from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master's degree in Social Work from New York University. She also earned a Certificate in Grief Recovery and a Certificate in Thanatology, the study of death and dying.