National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) happens every year on April 16.  The day of observance exists to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. NHDD is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be.

In partnership with Honoring Choices North Dakota, we are pleased to share some personal stories of individuals and their thoughts on Advance Care Planning:

Consider planning a community-wide information fair! In Minnesota there's a bit of a risk planning for an outdoor event, but you can offer an informational gathering at a local library, community center, faith community, civic organization, or any other place people get together to talk and learn.

How about a good read? Plan a book club discussion or share recommendations with others. Here's a list of some good titles to start with.

A local church hosted a panel discussion with a doctor, a lawyer, and an EMT services captain. A local city council member moderated and over 70 people attended! Facilitators were available on-site to respond to questions and offer additional information one-on-one. The event was so successful they intend to make it an annual event, and add additional opportunities in the fall each year.

In 2015, Honoring Choices held a 5K Fun Run around a local lake. Think outside of the box when planning your events!

What are you planning?
We'd love to hear your ideas,
experiences, and suggestions!

For more information on the national NHDD movement and additional suggestions on ways to observe the day, please visit their website.