End-of-life decisions are difficult enough, but when you combine loss of mental capacity, it becomes a heart wrenching and ethical challenge. Learn to empower caregivers to become great decision makers by acquiring the tools that are designed to ensure that people without capacity can still have a voice in their lives. This session will describe this process of empowerment, how caregiver decisions will be experienced by the person in their care, and how this method can be adapted to the patient’s level of capacity and situation. Specific questions and strategies will be shared to demonstrate how caregivers can make respectful and compassionate decisions for their loved ones.
Speaker: Viki Kind, MA, Clinical Bioethicist, Kind Ethics
Viki Kind is a clinical bioethicist, medical educator, hospice volunteer and award winning author of The Caregiver’s Path to Compassionate Decision Making – Making Choices for Those Who Can’t. She has lectured across the United States teaching healthcare professionals to have integrity, compassion and to improve end-of-life care through better communication.
Viki provides bioethics consultation and support for many hospitals in the Los Angeles area. She holds a master’s degree in bioethics from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Patients, families and healthcare professionals rely on Viki’s practical approach for dealing with challenging healthcare dilemmas. Viki is also an honorary board member of the Well Spouse Association and has been a caregiver for many years for four members of her family.