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Promoting advance care planning through the National Healthcare Decisions Day initiative
- Author:
- BLACK Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 6(1-2), January 2010, pp.11-26.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia
National Healthcare Decision Day (NHDD) is a nationwide campaign aimed at increasing advance care planning among adults throughout the US. The goals of the initiative are to encourage Americans to express their wishes regarding future healthcare decision making; to rally a national media campaign to promote the importance of planning in advance for care; and to mobilise national, state, and community organisations to develop a wide range of educational activities. The movement culminates in an annual day of multiple events throughout the country designed to inundate the public about advance care planning. Since its inaugural event on April 16th 2008, NHDD has been a growing success. In this article the author describes the initiative and discusses the importance of advance care planning. The role of social workers in advance care planning and the promotion on NHDD is discussed. A detailed description of a successful event conducted in a suburban Southeastern community is provided to illustrate the activities and roles performed by social work. The author comments that social workers have much to offer people and their families, their respective organisations, and their state and the nation in advancing the goals of advance care planning through the NHDD.