OUTREACH
SAGE ELDERCARE
IS COMING TO YOUR COMMUNITY
TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
New initiative, supported by Atlantic Health System hospitals,
will bring workshops to familiar spots in Summit, Pompton Plains
SAGE Eldercare recently
launched a new outreach
program, Your Decisions
Matter, to engage the public in
conversations about end-of-life
care and decision making, in
familiar places throughout
the community.
The initiative, developed in partnership
with Atlantic Health System’s Overlook
and Chilton Medical Centers, will host
workshops in places that are safe and
informal such as at a coffee house, YMCA,
local library or house of worship. Other
community events might include a movie
screening, game night or panel discussion.
Additionally, Your Decisions Matter will
provide resources on relevant topics such as
advanced directives, palliative care and hos-
pice care, as well as follow up with all par-
ticipants with additional help and resources.
The initiative is supported by a three-year
grant from the Community Advisory Boards
at Overlook and Chilton.
“Overlook Medical Center has long
championed the importance of thoughtful
and personalized end-of-life care,” said
Alan Lieber, president of Overlook Medical
Center. “We are proud to partner with SAGE
to continue to spark the very necessary
conversations that people will need to make
compassionate and informed decisions for
themselves and their loved ones.”
The goal of the program is to encourage
individuals to talk with their loved ones
about what matters to them most in their
final days. Facilitating and normalizing this
difficult topic for families will lead to peace
of mind knowing that wishes will be fol-
Chilton Medical Center President, Stephanie Schwartz, speaks to the audience at the
launch event in Pompton Plains.
“The purpose of the
program is to help
remove the taboo that
often exists when
talking about end-of-
life care by bringing
the conversation to
the community.”
— Angela Sullivan, executive
director at SAGE Eldercare
HOLIDAY 2019 CHILTON MAGAZINE
lowed, particularly at times when a patient
is not able to advocate for themselves.
“Working with patients at every stage of
life, we’ve found many families still struggle
with how to talk about a loved one’s wishes
if they become seriously ill,” said Stephanie
Schwartz, president of Chilton Medical
Center. “Partnering with community organi-
zations such as SAGE Eldercare allows us to
guide families through these difficult times
and provide them with the right tools and
support to make more informed decisions.”
A recent survey found that 87% of peo-
ple believe it is important to put their own
end-of-life preferences in writing, but only
23% have actually done so. Additionally,
90% of people plan to talk to their loved
ones about end-of-life care, but only 27%
have had this conversation. Some reasons