(Cherry Hill, NJ) – In New Jersey, 61 percent of adult residents say that they are comfortable aging and have begun to think about their wishes for end-of-life medical treatment. And yet, approximately six out of ten of those same adult residents have no written documents expressing what those wishes are.
On Oct. 24, the Camden County Court Surrogate, Michelle A. Gentek-Mayer, is hosting a free Night of Life and Legacy to help the county’s residents prepare for their future. Gentek-Mayer will be at Camden County College in Blackwood from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to help residents fill out forms and documents and to begin to understand the process of advanced care planning.
“A lot of people will think about what they want but wait to formalize it or to tell their loved ones,” Gentek-Mayer said. “The Night of Life and Legacy is about having that conversation and starting to formalize those arrangements long before they’re needed.”
Residents who register in advance can be entered in the Bucket List Give-A-Way, a contest raffling off incredible opportunities to help winners get a few more things crossed off their bucket list. Prizes include a sportscar excursion, indoor skydiving, swimming with sharks, gourmet cooking classes, language lessons, and more.
“The idea is to take a subject, which is a little uncomfortable and even a little upsetting for some, and turn it into an opportunity to have some fun, laugh, and win prizes,” Gentek-Mayer said. “Thirty-eight percent of New Jersey’s adult residents have not even had a conversation about advanced care. This is a safe, fun place to start.”
For more information on the Night of Life and Legacy, or to register for the Bucket List Give-A-Way, visit https://www.camdencounty.com/event/life-legacy-conversations-life/.