Washington, DC — As we go to press, the Pain Relief and Promotion Act (PRPA), which was introduced earlier this year by Senator Don Nickles (R-OK) and U.S. Representative Henry J. Hyde (R-IL) remains before Congress. PRPA is attached to a package of other bills, which include billions of dollars in tax cuts. Indications are that the President will veto the package. The PRPA is intended primarily to overturn Oregon’s legalized assisted suicide law; the bill has been very controversial both on the Hill and in the field. The Washington Post reports that "the lame-duck Congress that returns in December seems likely to be dragged into an emotional battle over the future of physician-assisted suicide." Hyde and Nickles are determined to see the PRPA pass this year; Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has said that he will organize a filibuster to prevent its passage. Let your representatives know where you stand on this complex issue.
Birmingham — This February, attend the National Congress on End-of-Life Care and meet colleagues from across the country who are aiming to improve end-of-life care. Joanne Lynn is chairperson for the two-day event, which will be held February 12-13 in Birmingham, Alabama. Cosponsored by the Center to Improve Care of the Dying at RAND and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the conference will highlight results from collaborative projects the two groups have sponsored. Register by Dec. 31 and save 40% on the cost. For more information, visit IHI’s website at www.ihi.org.
New York City — Family caregivers have a new resource in Beth Israel Medical Center’s on-line Caregiver Resource Directory, sponsored by the Department of Pain and Palliative Care. From the website at www.stoppain.org, caregivers can learn more about how to navigate "the system," understand more about managing symptoms, consider advance directives, and find out where to go for help. The program has also developed a book, The Caregiver Resource Directory, "a practical guide intended to help family caregivers feel less alone and overwhelmed". The three-ring binder has pockets and writing space so that caregivers can organize all resource and medical information in one place. The directory features information about topics such as stress management, financial assistance, and communicating with health care providers. Free copies are available on the web, or by writing to:
The Resource Center
Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care
Beth Israel Medical Center
First Ave. at 16th Street
New York, NY 10003.
Cyberspace — Barnes and Noble University will host a free, three-week course online about the spiritual dimensions of dying. The course will begin on January 8, 2001, and is based on the book, The Grace in Dying: How We are Transformed Spiritually As We Die, by Kathleen Dowling Singh, Ph.D. Singh and Mark Brady, Ph.D., of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, will lead the course. Register online at www.barnesandnobleuniversity.com.
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