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Since
December 2003, the Grand Island Coalition for End of Life
Care has been distributing the Respect My Wishes kits to
residents in Grand Island, Genoa, Boleus, Dannebrog, Wolbach,
Greeley, and other surrounding communities. The Coalition
had initially purchased 5,000 kits with monies received
in a grant from Catholic Health Initiatives Mission and
Ministry Fund. These kits have all been distributed and
the Coalition recently purchased 5,000 additional kits.
The
kits, designed to be practical as well as informational,
include a magnetic sleeve that is placed on the refrigerator
which holds an orange card with health and emergency information.
Also included in the kit is information on advanced directives
(living will and durable power of attorney for healthcare)
and an Important Document Locator form.
The
purpose of the magnetic sleeve and orange card are to have
emergency information immediately available to family,
ambulance crews and law enforcement in the case the person
is unable to communicate. The orange card has emergency
contact names and phone numbers, for those with advanced
directives, and basic health information. One example shared
with the Coalition was a woman whose daughter had recently
given her a kit. The woman had fallen in her home and called
911. When the ambulance crew arrived they asked if she
had any information to take with her to the hospital. The
woman referred the ambulance crew to her refrigerator and
they took to the kit with them. Later one of the ambulance
crew members told the daughter and told her how helpful
the information was that they had grabbed from the pocket
on the refrigerator.
Initially,
the Grand Island Coalition for End of Life Care focused
the distribution of the kits to residents in Grand Island.
Each member of the Coalition received kits to have available
to their clients, also several presentations were given
to civic organizations, and the kits were available at
Wellness Works/Por Su Salud in the Conestoga Mall and the
Grand Island Police Station. Recently, the Coalition participated
in Healthfest at Saint Francis Medical Center and distributed
more than 200 kits.
As
other communities learn about the kits, they have approached
the Grand Island Coalition for End of Life Care about having
the kits available in their communities. In Genoa, a group
of residents took it upon themselves to hold several town
hall meetings to explain the kits, distribute them, and
assist residents in completing the informational forms.
In Dannebrog/Boleus and Greeley/Wolbach, the EMT's (emergency
medical technicians) have initiated the campaign to have
kits available to residents in their communities.
Anyone
who wishes to receive a Respect My Wishes kit or wants
to start a program in a community may contact Jennifer
Eurek at 308-398-5485 or e-mail your request via this website.
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