LA MESA HEALTH CARE LIBRARY TO HOST FREE MEETING ON ADVANCE CARE PLANNING ON APRIL 25TH

East County News Service

April 4, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host “It’s All About The Conversation,” a free program on advance care planning (ACP), from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 25. The program is part of the library’s “Wellness Wednesday” series, normally held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. Advance RSVP is not necessary. Handouts will be available.

The Herrick Library program on April 25 will mark Sharp HealthCare’s recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) during the month of April. NHDD will be held this year on April 16. NHDD, an initiative of The Conversation Project in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, aims to help people across the U.S. understand the value of advance healthcare planning. NHDD exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning.

The speaker at the program on April 25 will be John Tastad, coordinator of Sharp HealthCare’s ACP program. Tastad has served as a staff chaplain at Sharp HospiceCare for nine years, providing spiritual support to terminally ill patients and their family members. His academic training includes undergraduate studies at Northwest Christian University and the University of Oregon, and graduate studies at Fuller Theological Seminary and the University of San Diego. Now in his 17th year with Sharp HealthCare, John teaches classes on bioethics for new employees and volunteers at Sharp HospiceCare. He also serves on the Bioethics Committees at Sharp Memorial Hospital, Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.

Kathy Quinn, Herrick Library director, said, “Advance care planning is a process designed to assess your personal beliefs and values in regard to your health care goals so that you can make important decisions with more comfort and ease. Join us for Wellness Wednesday on April 25th to hear an overview of the ACP process, basic tools to help define your own health care choices, and communication tips you can use to help start the conversation with your loved ones. National Healthcare Decisions Day is a great time to plan ahead so that future healthcare challenges don’t create difficult questions and unnecessary worry for family members and decision makers. Peace of mind comes when you have a conversation about your goals, beliefs and experiences and make your wishes known in advance.”

The Herrick Library, which opened in 2002, is a consumer health public library specializing in health research information, accessible both on-site and via the Internet. The library is operated by the Grossmont Healthcare District, a public agency that supports health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County. For more information, phone the library at (619) 825‑5010 or visit www.herricklibrary.org.