(Moncton)April 18, 2017 - In recognition of National Advance Care Planning Day, Horizon Health Network and Vitalité Health Network, together with the New Brunswick Hospice Palliative Care Association (NBHPCA) are hosting free public sessions on planning for future health care needs.

Patients, families and health care professionals are invited to attend one of the sessions being held simultaneously on April 20.  

English-only session - Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at The Moncton Hospital,135 MacBeath Avenue, in Amphitheatre A. The session is hosted by Dr. Pam Mansfield, palliative medicine physician at The Moncton Hospital, assistant professor Dalhousie University, and past president of the NBHPCA.

French-only session - Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre, 300 Université Avenue, in the Amphitheatre. The session is hosted by Dr. Renée Turcotte, associate clinical teacher, Université de Sherbrooke, Dieppe Family Medicine, and president of the NBHPCA.

These informative planning sessions will provide an opportunity to learn how to create a personalized advanced care plan and how to tell loved ones what would be important should they become ill and unable to communicate. 

Advance Care Planning is a process of thinking about and sharing your wishes for future health and personal care needs. It involves deciding who will speak for you, if you can't speak for yourself. It is a way to give loved ones the confidence to make decisions for you during a difficult time.

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For more information contact:

Stephanie Neilson
Media Relations
1-877-499-1899
Media@HorizonNB.ca
www.HorizonNB.ca