Seminars: Ethical Principles in End of Life Decision-Making

Seminars: Ethical Principles in End of Life Decision-Making

 

Whether with a parent, a partner or other close companion, or ourselves, we will all face decisions about apppropriate, ethical care at the end of life.  Advances in medicine and changes in people's living patterns have led to a proliferation of considerations associated with these choices, as well as a confusing array of moral, legal and policy rules and options.  Preparation and information today can both make difficult decisions tomorrow easier - and make them more likely to be honored.

Beginning in Fall 2016, the Director Emeritus Rosie Tong, and Dan Carrigan, Director of the Charlotte Friends of Compassion and Choices are partnering to offer objective, non-biased and non-judgmental seminars, primarily to Charlotte area college and community college students, on end of life care options and how those different options connect to differing value systems.  These seminars will offer participants up-to-date information on topics such as current North Carolina Law, patient documents like living wills and advance directives, hospice, hospital and home care options, and so forth. 

As currently planned, seminar events will include student-only sessions, a sponsored lunch, and a community event where the public is invited to a formal debate on a core issue pertaining to the 21st century challenge to recognize the individual’s right to make decisions consistent with their personal end-of-life goals and within the familial context that may exist.  ​There are some 41 accredited colleges within 100 miles of Charlotte and many have constrained resources and limited academic offerings.​ Our new Seminar event will offer a special opportunity where speakers with expertise on end-of-life issues - the history, the ethical challenges, the medico-legal aspects - will be available to college classes and for the community to encourage exploration and dialog on these important issues.  The Seminar is being offered to area colleges without cost as a special education opportunity jointly sponsored by the UNCC Ethics Center and C&C-Charlotte Friends.

This programming is currently in development, and we will post updates here and to the Center's events listing.

 

Compassion & Choices - Charlotte Friends (C&C-CF) is a non-profit regional group whose primary purpose is the education of the public about end-of-life decision-making. Its various education programs encourage public awareness of the right of each American to explore their complete range of choices and to pursue whatever legal choice is most appropriate – consistent with their personal end-of-life goals and within the familial context that may exist. The Seminar for area colleges on end-of-life decision-making complements the other community education programs that C&C-CF offers at churches, civic clubs, seniors organizations, public libraries, and other public forums.