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Lori La Bey talks with Sara Barsel on a series of events called Being Mortal: Advanced Care Planning & End of Life Choices, which will be held at the Ramsey County Library – Roseville Branch.  2180 No. Hamline Ave. Roseville, MN 55113. Call the Library with questions at 651-724-6001 or reach out to Sara Barsel by phone  952-258-3184, or email.

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Sept. 30th at 6 – 7:30 pm – It Always Seems Too Soon, Until It’s Too Late: Advance Care Planning 101

Presenters:

Rev. Edward J. Holland, MDiv, BCC (Ret), MFT (Ret), served as the Coordinator of Spiritual Care & Grief Support with Park Nicollet Methodist Hospice in Minneapolis, for nearly 35 years. Ed is a United Methodist minister, a retired Board-Certified Chaplain (BCC-APC), and a retired marriage and family therapist. Ed is a certified Respecting Choices© Advance Care Planning Facilitator & Instructor and serves as a volunteer member of Park Nicollet’s Advance Care Planning Team, focusing on community education. He’s a former Board member of the Faith Community Nurse Network of the Twin Cities, Honoring Choices-MN, the Minnesota Coalition for Death Education & Support (MCDES), and the Minnesota Network for Hospice & Palliative Care (MNHPC). Ed has served as a leader with his denomination’s Health Ministries Team since 1976.

Mary Carlsen, MSW, LISW,  has practiced in a variety of health care settings. She recently retired after teaching 34 years in the Department of Social Work and Family Studies at St. Olaf. Mary is a member of the Northfield Hospital and Clinics Bioethics Committee and served on the NASW-MN Ethics Committee. Her areas of research included international social work and end of life care; in 2016 she founded End of Life Choices Collective in Northfield. She is a frequent speaker on end-of-life topics.

Oct 7th at 6 – 7:30 pm – Nutrition and Hydration Challenges & Choices at the End of Life

Presenter

Victor M Sandler MD, has practiced medicine in Minnesota for over 45 years. He has been boarded in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is currently with HealthPartners Hospice. He is on the faculty of the University of Minnesota Medical School, teaching in the Hospice and Palliative medicine fellowship program.

He has extensive experience with care of the elderly in community, institutional, and hospice settings. His focus has been on ethical decision making, end of life care, and advance care planning; he has lectured and consulted widely on these topics.

From 2000-2020 he Co-chaired the University of Minnesota Medical Center Bioethics Committee and consulted in primarily challenging end of life cases. From 2014-2026 he Co-chaired the State of Minnesota POLST Task Force. He chaired the Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Medicine clinicians from 2010-2026.

His goal is to see an ethical, compassionate health care system established in the United States. He plans to retire sometime in the next 20 years.

Oct 14^th at 6 – 7:30 pm – Who Will Speak For You? Choosing and Preparing Your Health Care Agent

Presenter

Brenna Galvin is a Principal Attorney at Bravura Group Law & Fiduciary, P.C., where she focuses her practice on elder law, estate planning, long-term care planning, special needs planning, and fiduciary guidance. Brenna is known for helping individuals and families navigate complex decisions with clarity and compassion—especially during times of health change, financial vulnerability, or family transition. She is also an end-of-life doula, bringing a holistic, person-centered approach to planning that honors dignity, autonomy, and peace of mind. Brenna is passionate about empowering older adults to stay safe, remain in control of their choices, and plan proactively to protect both independence and legacy.

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Learn about Lance A. Slatton’s new book Caregiving in America.  

Purchase the book on Amazon https://tinyurl.com/4nzky4wp or explore Lance’s website at    https://lanceaslatton.com/

Below is the foreword to the book.

There is a lot in the news in America about healthcare, from policies, funding, research, and fraud. Our technology companies have positioned AI as the end-all be-all answer to the public, but the truth is, the biggest asset we have when it comes to our health is people. There is no possible way to take human beings out of the equation without hurting outcomes.

Lance A. Slatton, known as The Senior Care Influencer, understands the power and promise of education, engagement, prevention, and support when it comes to healthcare. He knows that caregivers are the glue that holds our health together.  If you are caring for yourself or another person, the first words that usually echo in one’s brain are: “Tag You’re it!”, “What does a caregiver do?”, “How can I do this?”, or “I don’t have time to deal with this!”

He understands what it is like to need a caregiver, or when you are called to be a caregiver, and he appreciates the fear of those who have no one to lean on to give them the care they need.

The truth is that human beings are the true navigators of our systems. They are the ones who have to maneuver our complicated healthcare industry. From whom to call when, to where to go, how to get there, and the two questions that weigh heaviest for most families are: where do I find the time, and how do we pay for it?

Lance’s book, Caregiving in America, has positioned the needs of caregivers first. He recognized that if the most valued asset to health in America is not educated, guided, and supported, well then, none of us should really be surprised that our system is failing. Lance set out to change that, and if you know Lance, you know he is thorough. So thorough that Lance knew all the information caregivers actually need could be overwhelming. He understands stress, which can fog the brain and paralyze people from making a plan.

Looking at the size of the book alone, a caregiver might think, “I’ll never get through all of that.  I don’t have the time to read that much. I need answers now!” The good news is that caregivers don’t have to read the book cover to cover to get their questions answered. Lance wrote the book to be used as a reference book. You can drop right into a chapter that covers the topic you need, plus he has listed national and state-by-state resources. Lance talks openly and honestly, helping caregivers create a proactive approach to reduce stress, maneuver the healthcare system, learn about legalities and fiscal responsibility, how to support the one you are caring for, as well as yourself physically, emotionally, and psychologically, and, bottom line, not feel so overwhelmed and alone on the caregiving journey.

Wouldn’t it be great if someday soon, insurance companies would cover each caregiver to receive this resource book free of charge! In the meantime, know Caregiving in America makes for a great gift to any caregiver, no matter where they are on their journey, or how many times they have been called to be one. Each journey is unique with its own twists and turns, and Lance never wants you to feel alone on the caregiving journey.

Lori La Bey, Multi-time caregiver and care receiver, and Founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks and Co-Founder of Dementia Map

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