Christina Staudt, PhD
President, Westchester End-of-Life Coalition

Barbara Robb, MA

Special Project Coordinator, Westchester End-of-Life Coalition

This spring the Westchester End-of-Life Coalition (WEL Coalition) launched a new county-wide project to promote the signing of Health Care Proxy forms. The effort, part of the Everybody Needs A Proxy campaign, culminated on April 16 to coincide with National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).

The new initiative was executed in collaboration with the Westchester Library System. In advance of NHDD day, the WEL Coalition prepared packages of New York State Health Care Proxy forms, wallet-sized proxy forms and one-page fact sheets about the importance of health care proxies. These were distributed by the Westchester Library System to all of the County’s 42 public libraries.  A total of 2,250 Health Care Proxy forms in English and 450 in Spanish were sent out, along with posters and fliers announcing NHDD on April 16 and the new library initiative.

Westchester County residents were encouraged to come to their local libraries on April 16 to obtain proxy materials and information by way of several venues. E-blasts were sent to targeted organizations and groups. Information regarding NHDD was provided to the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services for distribution to senior centers. Fliers about the event were posted in local communities by volunteers and members of the WEL Coalition and handed out at the Conference, Stand by Me: Palliative Care Concept and Approaches, held on April 4. A local publicist was hired to disseminate information about the event to Westchester papers and radio stations. An hour-long interview with WEL Coalition Board Members was also aired on a local radio station.

At 29 of the County’s 42 libraries, those who came for their proxy information on April 16 were greeted by trained volunteers who assisted as needed for three hours in each place. In addition to WEL Coalition volunteers, volunteers from other community groups were recruited for this effort including the Medicare Rights Center, a United Way EVEP volunteer program and the Sarah Lawrence College Health Advocacy Program. In total, 33 volunteers participated in the project.  

On April 16, more than 500 Health Care Proxies were made available by the volunteers in the libraries to individuals who took the Health Care Proxy forms for themselves and family members. Almost 300 conversations on the topic, many lengthy and in depth, took place between the volunteers and the recipients. Health Care Proxy forms and other materials were left at the libraries when the volunteers departed so they could be displayed along with other community information. The WEL Coalition is extremely pleased with the success of this effort and has decided to renew the program in 2009.   

The Westchester End-of-Life Coalition is a community-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the end of life experience for Westchester residents and their families.

For more information go to www.westchesterendoflife.org