President's Perspective
Encouraging the Public to Plan Ahead:
Life Planning 2000
By Leonard L. Loeb
The word is out. Attorneys and health
professionals in more than 25 counties have joined forces to volunteer
their expertise for Life Planning 2000. The goal is to encourage the
public to complete an advance medical directive in a time of noncrisis
and to improve the way legal and health professionals participate in the
process.
Life Planning 2000 takes place May 1 - 5 in
conjunction with Law Day and leading up to National Hospitals Week (May
7 - 13). Local bar associations are teaming with hospitals and clinics
in their areas to organize Life Planning activities. If you want to get
involved, now is the time to act.
The program provides two great ways to get involved: Attend a seminar
on the team approach to advance care planning. By attending a seminar,
you can increase your knowledge, improve your practice skills, and
expand your network of health care contacts.
The State Bar, along with our partners - the Wisconsin Health and
Hospital Association, the State Medical Society, and Gundersen Lutheran
Medical Center - is hosting five regional CLE seminars in April and May.
An ethicist, an attorney, and a physician will discuss how the different
disciplines contribute to the advance care planning process - from
completing the documents and encouraging clients to discuss their wishes
with their families to ensuring that clients' wishes are carried
out.
We've heard that many of you have concerns about the current process
- miscommunications result in unwanted guardianship proceedings and
protective placement hearings. Here's your chance to attend a CLE
seminar geared for attorneys, physicians, nurses, hospital social
workers, and hospital clergy to talk about these important issues. To
encourage broad participation, the CLE seminars are only $25.
Get the word out to the public during Life Planning Week. Attorneys
and health professionals who want to volunteer in the campaign's public
outreach component will receive "planning guides" in March to help them
organize activities on a local level. Activities might be as simple as
organizing a "Life Planning table" at the courthouse on Law Day or as
involved as setting up a free "Life Planning workshop" at a library or
community center to get the public started with the advance care
planning process. This program provides a great opportunity for your
local bar to be highly visible in a positive light in the community.
Program volunteers also may receive print copies of the Gift to Your
Family consumer guide for use as a teaching tool. Written by attorneys
and health care professionals, the guide will be available free to the
public via WisBar in April.
You are welcome to participate in Life Planning 2000 at any level you
can - improve your practice by attending a seminar or share your
expertise with the public during Life Planning Week. Our colleagues in
the health profession are looking forward to working with us, so please
turn out!
For more information, please contact Trina E. Haag at the State Bar of
Wisconsin at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6025; attorney Jim Jaeger, project
chair, at (608) 244-1354; or attorney Grant Birtch, local activities
chair, at (920) 729-0303; or visit Life
Planning 2000 online.
As always, you can reach me by email.
Wisconsin Lawyer
