DAPHNE, Alabama —Covenant Hospice along with other national, state and community organizations, is leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making-an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16 as National Healthcare Decisions Day.

As a participating organization, Covenant Hospice is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives, or living wills in accordance with state laws. To receive a free copy of Five Wishes, an easy to use living will, contact your local Covenant Hospice branch or go to www.agingwithdignity.org.

“As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said Dale O. Knee, Covenant Hospice president and CEO. “Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient and healthcare providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”

For more information about National Healthcare Decisions Day, visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

Covenant Hospice is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate services to patients and loved ones during times of life-limiting illnesses. Covenant Hospice is an agency of United Way of Baldwin County.