UPDATE at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 20 — THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO THE WEATHER.

OLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville will hold an advance care planning (ACP) workshop from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 in the Reuter Center, in the Manheimer Room. Free and open to everyone, this workshop is co-sponsored by the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and Mission Health Partners.

This workshop marks the 10th year of these thrice-annual sessions. More than 1,110 people have attended, resulting in 447 Advance Care Plans completed and notarized.

The workshops feature a panel whose members are experienced in addressing end-of-life issues. Discussion will include communicating your treatment wishes to loved ones and to medical personnel, ethical and legal issues, the uses of advance directives, and advice on handling issues like Alzheimer’s disease. Ample time will be reserved for questions. Assistance will be provided for anyone wishing to complete a legally valid advance directive, including the notarization required in North Carolina, using the NC ACP “Short Form.”

Panel members will include:

Jan Buchanan, Chaplain and Advance Care Planning Facilitator at Mission Hospital

Dr. Ellen Kaczmarek MD, Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Individualized Health Care Planner

Meridith Miller, Community and Social Psychologist

Joanne Dykes J.D. Attorney, Dykes Law Firm PLLC

Preparation for you to do before the workshop: Talk to your possible “power of attorney for healthcare”, the person who would make health care decisions if you are unable. Click here for a video of a sample conversation.and click here to access a copy of the ACP Short form. Please print the form, study it, and bring it to the workshop along with any questions you might have for the panel.

If you have never been admitted to Mission Hospital, but want your advanced directives added into the Mission Medical Record, click here for an “Advance Directive Permission form” to fill out. Also, if you have existing advance directives, you may mail the “Permission Form” along with a copy of your existing Advance Directive to Mission for addition to the Mission medical record (or you can get help doing this at the next ACP workshop). For more information, call OLLI, 828.251.6140 or email olli@unca.edu. Click here to view an event flier.

Click here for building accessibility information.

Accessibility Contact: Jacqueline Lowe: (828.232.5181) jdlowe@unca.edu

Directions to the Reuter Center: The Reuter Center is near the top (north) of the campus map, and you can get directions by entering “UNC Asheville Reuter Center” into Google Maps or other GPS systems. The Reuter Center can be reached by any of the three entrances to campus:

From Edgewood Rd., make a right at the sign saying “UNC Asheville Campus” onto University Heights, and then a right turn at the parking deck up the hill to the Reuter Center.

From W.T. Weaver Blvd., at the rotary, enter campus between the two big signs and drive up the hill. At the construction barriers, you’ll bear right, then take the next left to stay on University Heights. At the parking deck, turn right to go up the hill to the Reuter Center.

From Broadway Street, turn onto Campus Drive (across from Zillicoa St.), and proceed up the hill until you reach a stop sign. Go left at the stop sign and the Reuter Center parking lots will be on your right.

Parking:

There is free parking immediately in front of the building’s lower level – use that lower-level entrance to reach the Manheimer Room.