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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Initiative to Assist African Americans with Serious Illness and End-of-Life Advance Care Planning (ACP) Launches During National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, November 3, 2021 – November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson is raising awareness about the longstanding gap when it comes to African Americans and planning for serious illness and emergency healthcare. Officially launching this month, Advance Care Planning for African Americans (ACP for AA) is an educational outreach initiative partnering with organizations to provide credible and culturally responsive resources to help bridge the racial disparity gap in healthcare.

Dr. Anderson, founder of Heart Tones™, explains, “Almost everyone agrees that there’s an urgent need to address health literacy related to end-of-life care in Black communities. This initiative presents much-needed support to help counter disparities by providing trustworthy information and resources that promote informed healthcare decision-making.”

Studies* show there is a significantly lower percentage of Black individuals of all ages who have completed living wills, also known as “advance directives.” This form provides a legal document that tells doctors and loved ones what healthcare is wanted in case of serious or emergency illness. ACP for AA will help support African American families and caregivers by:

  • providing credible and culturally relevant healthcare-related information and resources;
  • promoting conversational engagement about advance care planning options and preferences;
  • preparing the necessary steps to complete advance care documents and choose a healthcare advocate, if unable to speak for oneself.

To kick off the initiative, ACP for AA has partnered with the Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice Center for Learning to provide resources to citizens of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. Its team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, spiritual counselors, social workers, certified nursing assistants, bereavement counselors and volunteers work with patients and their families to provide quality end-of-life care in homes and nursing homes, and extended care facilities in both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

Terrie James-Taylor, Director of Outreach & Facilities at Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice, says this about being part of ACP for AA, “It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work with Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson in bringing awareness on ACP for AA to the Montgomery County & Prince George’s County residents, and also in sharing with Black-owned health care agencies in Prince George’s County the importance of having their staff knowledgeable on ACP. The Center for Learning has made it possible for the communities we serve in Maryland to have access to Dr. Anderson’s book, The African American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End-of-Life Care, which has been an invaluable resource in our efforts to help bridge the disparity gap.”

ACP for AA™ is a nationwide initiative of Heart Tones™, and is sponsored by a grant from The John and Wauna Harman Foundation.

For more information, visit www.acpforaa.org.

Download a copy of this press release.

What is Advance Care Planning for African Americans (ACP for AA™)?

ACP for AA™ is a nationwide educational outreach initiative partnering with organizations to help bridge the racial disparity gap in healthcare delivery by:

  • providing credible and culturally relevant healthcare-related information and resources,
  • promoting conversational engagement about advance care planning options and preferences, and
  • preparing the necessary steps to complete advance care documents and choose a healthcare advocate, if unable to speak for oneself.

ACP for AA’s mission is to promote healthcare decision-making through advance care planning conversations, education, and preparation that help bridge disparity gaps for Black Americans.

Why is ACP for AA so important?

  • There’s a long-standing gap in advance care planning for serious illness care and end-of-life care for people of color, particularly for Black Americans.
  • Studies* show a significantly lower percentage in completion of living wills (also called advance directives) by Black individuals of all ages, with approximately 19% of Black individuals doing so, as compared to 72% of White individuals.
  • Black Americans are more likely to receive disparaging end-of-life care, and have considerably higher negative outcomes in medical care than other ethnic groups.

Who created this initiative?

ACP for AA™ is an initiative of Heart Tones™, a literary arts ministry founded in 1986 by Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson. Heart Tones™ provides educational workshops, inspirational products, and helpful resources related to all seasons of life common to humanity, such as love, loss, and life itself. Considered a subject-matter expert in advance care planning, Dr. Anderson’s work and research focuses on addressing healthcare disparities in communities of color. Learn more about Dr. Anderson here.

Are there any key partners with ACP for AA?

ACP for AA has partnered with the Montgomery Hospice and Prince George’s Hospice Center for Learning to provide resources to citizens of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. Its team of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, spiritual counselors, social workers, certified nursing assistants, bereavement counselors and volunteers work with its patients and their families to provide quality end-of-life care in homes, nursing homes, and extended care facilities in both Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.

Where can people go for more information?

For more information, visit the ACP for AA website, https://acpforaa.org.

If I want to partner or support ACP for AA™, what are the steps I should take?

We are looking for additional hospice partners from across the country to partner with us. To learn more about partnership or sponsorship opportunities with Dr. Anderson’s ACP for AA™, email info (at) acpforaa.org.

Is someone available for interviews?

Yes, Dr. Anderson is available for interviews. Her availability is best on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She is available for phone, video and may be available for in-person interviews (in the North Carolina area.) Please contact Tracee to schedule an interview.

Media Contact:

Tracee Holloway, tracee (at) thewayupcreative.com
Phone: 214-702-8577

*Source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049909120966585?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.1

ACP for AA: 5 Important Things African Americans Should Know About Advance Care Planning (ACP)

Do you know how Advance Care Planning can help you and your family in the event of a medical emergency?

To learn more, download our free PDF resource, Five Important Things African Americans Should Know About Advance Care Planning.

Thank you!