For Seniors: free and open to the public ... brown bag luncheon at Calvary Church, Tuesday, June 9, at 12 noon, at Parish Hall

Rebecca Symmes Lee, M.D., a practicing physician in Danvers, has developed a program for high risk patients to understand the need for health care proxies and to be informed of what decisions are common at end of life. 

Dr. Lee will offer her guidance at the monthly Senior Luncheon, at Calvary Episcopal Church, Danvers, Tuesday, June 19, at noon, in Parish Hall. All are welcome to attend and bring a brown bag lunch.

"We have found that, often, a patient has designated a health care proxy, but that person is unprepared to act on the patient's behalf because he or she doesn't know what the patient would want, when sick and unable to make decisions, regarding their care," says Dr. Lee. 

"We use the Five Wishes document as a basis for the education," Dr. Lee explains. "I hope that the program will inspire participants to have meaningful discussions with their health care proxies so that everyone is prepared."

The Five Wishes advanced directive document is designed to make the issue of end of life decisions easy to understand and comply with, and includes naming the person you want to have make your decisions for you, the kind of treatment you want and don't want, how comfortable you want to be in illness (pain management), how you want people to treat you (whether you would like to be at home, whether you would like pastoral care, etc.), and what you want your loved ones to know (funeral or memorial service you would like).