Program areas at Empath Choices for Care
Empath Choices for Care, Inc. was established through a partnership of physicians, elder Care providers and concerned citizens of Florida dedicated to changing the death-defying, technology-driven approach to end-of-life Care to a holistic, compassionate one that respects human dignity and the individual's best interests and personal wishes. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. offers education and the vehicles for advance Care planning for communities, the general public and healthcare providers. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. seeks to create communities prepared to address the end of life, meeting it with dignity, meaning and respect for Choices. It helps individuals and families create an atmosphere to discuss and make decisions regarding medical preferences. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. partners with suncoast hospice, physicians, elder Care counselors and concerned citizens to carry out its mission. Programs are focused on helping individuals communicate and implement their end-of-life medical treatment decisions, the premise is that all persons are entitled to humane, dignified end-of-life Care in keeping with their wishes, values and spiritual beliefs. Further, Empath Choices for Care, Inc. offers education to all members of the community regarding advance Care planning. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. was instrumental in providing leadership to the physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (polst) program which is designed to ensure that patient wishes to receive or refuse life-sustaining treatments are honored by converting patient preferences into actionable medical orders. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. is coordinating the successful implementation of a Florida polst pilot project at suncoast hospice by providing training, resource materials and support. We anticipate capturing data on patient use, forms completed, process efficiency and patient wishes honored. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. Continued its work in the respecting Choices facilitator training. This is a course designed for healthcare professionals (social workers, nurses, physicians, chaplains) that teaches the necessary skills to initiate advance Care planning conversations, assist patients in making informed healthcare decisions and create effective written documents like living wills. Empath Choices for Care, Inc. offers respecting Choices training courses both internally with suncoast hospice staff and externally with local Care partners. Students complete 6 on-line modules and participate in a full day of classroom instruction.