Life Decisions Coalition of Wake County (LDCW) is an organization promoting advance care planning in the community through outreach and education. Advance care planning is the process of understanding the issues and then writing legally binding instructions, guided by your own values and beliefs, for your end-of-life medical care.

The Coalition has been in existence for over four years and was started at the request of Hospice of Wake County. The Coalition continues to have Hospice of Wake County as its lead agency.

Most people die under the care of healthcare providers. And, healthcare providers typically treat when uncertain about final wishes. Up to 50% of those nearing the end of life cannot make proper decisions. Families, guardians, or healthcare agents often do not know what their loved ones want regarding end-of-life health and medical care. 

Give a gift to your loved ones…decide, discuss, and document your healthcare wishes. Let Life Decisions Coalition help in that effort.

Our mission is to help people understand the importance of having early and ongoing conversations about future health and medical care needs so end-of-life wishes will be honored.

With unfortunate circumstances surrounding so many who do not have written advance directives, the Coalition strives to ensure that individuals understand the difference between healthcare power of attorney and living will documents and medical terminology surrounding end-of-life care.

For information on your own state’s advance directives, click here.

The Coalition is comprised of individuals from various industries. We have attorneys, case managers, business owners, hospice staff, funeral directors, and many others who promote the mission of the Coalition and who speak to various groups within the community about advance care planning.

All sessions are presented free of charge. We may ask that you assist with the cost of copying the advance directive documents; however, we do not charge for our services. If possible, we will have a notary available should anyone wish to complete documents after the session and have them witnessed and notarized.

Our audiences are varied. Presentations can be made at faith communities, social and service clubs, organizations, legal and business communities, colleges and universities, and healthcare institutions.

For the presentations, the following information can be discussed:

• Healthcare Power of Attorney document;
• Advance Directive for a Natural Death (living will) document; and
• Starting the “talk” with family members, friends, spiritual leaders, physicians, and others regarding end-of-life medical wishes.

Click here to request a speaker or more information on Life Decisions Coalition of Wake County.