Give clear instructions for end-of-life care

Speaking at the Dying with Dignity Central Coast meeting at Erina Library on Friday, June 20, University of Newcastle assistant director of clinical education Dr Sarah Jeong based her talk on the values on which to base the instructions to give for end-of-life care.

Born in Korea with a Chinese family background, Dr Jeong described how, as a child, she had witnessed a grandmother in her 90s die peacefully amid her family, her decision to refuse food and water accepted and supported by the family. Dr Jeong said the deaths she had seen since her professional life had given her a passionate belief in dying with dignity.

Dr Jeong emphasised the importance of giving clear instructions on how one wished to die and doing it while still in possession of one’s mental faculties. The next quarterly meeting of the Dying with Dignity Central Coast branch will be held on September 19, in the Central Coast Local Health District Carer Support Unit. The guest speaker will be Ms Sian White.

Email, 27 Jun 2014
Joy Shannon, Dying
With Dignity NSW