by Patty Jenkins
What is that new California law all about anyway and how does it work? What exactly are our end-of-life choices? What other options are there to help keep me and my loved ones comfortable before I go?
The Ventura Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is having a special meeting to enlighten us all about a subject we mostly avoid because after all, we are all going to live forever, right? Come to our meeting Wednesday, June 14, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at The Lexington Assisted Living, 5440 Ralston St. for answers and information about all of the choices available to us in California. Then we can all go back to not talking about it because we’ll have some peace of mind.
We are pleased to have Erika Ruiz, California Outreach Manager for Compassion & Choices, give us a presentation at the beginning of our meeting to explain the California End of Life Option Act that authorizes medical aid in dying and how to access the Act. Erika’s interest in advocating for and educating on end of life care options stems from her personal experience trying to help a beloved family member during his final days.
Although we mostly don’t want to have these conversations it is important to have them and understand our priorities and options to help overcome our fears. Which is why we are also pleased to have the Director of Community Memorial Health Care’s Palliative Care/Ventura Care Partners, Diana Jaquez, RN and Cathy Dorsey, LCSW along with Bruce Bednar, MAG and Director of Managed Care, Roze Room Hospice of Ventura, joining us to help us understand the differences between Palliative and Hospice Care and how they all work to help us and our loved ones when it turns out apparently we aren’t going to live forever, at least probably not on this planet.
Thanks to the generosity of the Lexington Assisted for donating space for us, the Ventura Parkinson’s Disease Support Group is able to have meetings every second Wednesday of each month from 1-3pm at the Lexington. Please check in at the front desk for directions and sign-in at the meeting. Extra parking is graciously available across the street from the Lexington in the Baptist Church parking lot. Call me at 766-6070 for further information. Reservations are not required. We are an independent and volunteer-organized group not affiliated with or a part of any other organization or group
