Sue Tannehill, Mari McNeil and Janice Hinson will offer a three-part class beginning September 6th using the Quaker Values and end of life decision making workbook.

Developed through ARCH (Aging Resources, Community Help), a Quaker initiative through NYYM, this book combines the practical considerations such as having a health proxy and advanced directive as well as thoughtful queries about end-of-life issues.

This is a description of one potential plan for the classes:

Class One will offer an introduction to the booklet and include creating a Health Care Proxy, a document that lets others know your medical care wishes should you be unable to speak for yourself. Signed by two witnesses, this document will ensure that your medical treatment wishes are honored. If there is time, we will also review the advanced directive.

Class Two will be on Zoom. During this class, will have some guests who can speak about Quaker end-of-life decision making and go over the Advanced Care Directive, if it wasn’t completed during class. We will share parts of A Tender Time: Quaker Voices at the End of Life, a 2024 publication from Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

Class Three will be in person, and we will consider our own deaths and what we want to leave as a legacy. This will include things such as ethical wills, legacy letters, and an exercise called “Five Last Things.”

We hope you will join us in doing this important work together. The class is open to all.