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With over 37 years as an emergency and palliative care physician, Dr. Bob Uslander has witnessed the gift given to loved ones left behind when an advance directive is completed and available for healthcare professionals to follow in the final stages of life. He’s also seen the wake of devastation left behind by people who do not have an advance directive completed before a crisis ensues in the final days, weeks, and even months of someone’s life.
Without proper documentation, critical care decisions are left to health care providers or family members who may not understand an individual’s true desires or be prepared to properly advocate for them in a crisis. In many instances, these medical teams and family members make default decisions that are designed to preserve or extend life. This can cause unnecessary suffering, conflict, and exacerbated financial burdens due to unplanned medical expenses.
Research has shown that those with healthcare preferences documented in an advance directive are more likely to get the care they wish for at the end of life. Despite this, only one out of three American adults has completed an advance directive.
At the Empowered Endings Foundation, our mission is to optimize palliative and end of life care by filling gaps in the healthcare system—and to ensure that everyone has access to the resources, education, or support they need and deserve due to financial limitations. Those navigating the final stages of life, the people who love them, and the providers who serve them all deserve to be informed and supported throughout their journeys.
To that end, we’ve created a new standard in advance care planning. Through the Empowered Endings™ End of Life Planning Certification, we’re sharing a framework for end of life planning that is far more personalized, comprehensive, and accessible than traditional advance directives. Developed by Dr. Bob and Elizabeth Uslander, Co-founders of the Empowered Endings Foundation, this approach includes deep exploration of values and beliefs, preferences for legal end of life options, dementia and cognitive decline planning, palliative care values, and more.
To support this, we’ve partnered with Thanacare. Their platform delivers our approach to advance care planning in a robust and accessible way that supports anyone, anywhere, and at any time. In this secure HIPAA-compliant platform, you can document, record, and store your healthcare wishes while also easily sharing those wishes via QR Code with healthcare providers, family members, and loved ones to ensure they are known and respected.
As part of the Empowered Endings™ Foundation’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to the information, support, and community needed to create an Empowered End of Life Experience™, this Certification is available at no cost. Designed for doulas, doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, care managers, fiduciaries, attorneys, or anyone who wants to help people contemplate and optimally plan for their end of life journey, this Certification provides a clear step-by-step process to make an impact while creating a simple way to monetize your expertise.
Through pre-recorded lessons taught by Dr. Bob Uslander, resources, and an in-depth Guidebook, you’ll explore all you need to know about guiding people through creating their end of life plan and how to create Empowered End of Life Experiences™ for all. You’ll learn how to guide people through end of life considerations, considering their beliefs, values, and so much more, while also learning what it takes to properly document their plans, share them with the appropriate parties, and support open discussion around their decisions.
As part of the Certification, you’ll receive discounted access to the Empowered Endings™ Planning Platform, powered by Thanacare, where you’ll gain hands-on experience guiding clients through the step-by-step process taught through this online program.
End of life planning is about more than just completing documents – it’s about educating individuals with the information they need to make informed decisions and empowering them to communicate those wishes with confidence to ensure their wishes are honored.
The Empowered Endings™ End of Life Planning Certification will equip you with the tools, training, and platform access to:
The Certification includes discounted access to The Empowered Endings™ Planning Platform, powered by Thanacare—a safe and secure platform designed to document end of life preferences through a customized step-by-step process and empower individuals and families with clear, accessible, and actionable directives. These advance health care directives cover:
The Empowered Endings™ End of Life Planning Certification is part of our Foundation’s mission to amplify expert voices, connect like-minded professionals, and make end of life planning available and affordable to all. It integrates compassionate guidance, expert education, and cutting-edge technology to create the most robust end-of-life planning process available.
Clearly documented preferences can help prevent suffering, conflict, and unnecessary burdens in some of the most challenging times. This Certification will equip you with everything you need to offer a truly meaningful service—one that empowers individuals, strengthens families, and transforms how we approach end of life care.
Are you ready to make a difference? Learn more about End of Life Planning Certification and start providing the meaningful, personalized support your clients deserve.
The Empowered Endings™ Institute hosts the online community and online education for the Foundation. All education is provided at no cost. As we work to fulfill our mission, tax-deductible donations are always welcome.