Dicks and Papke-Larson to lecture on options for discussing end-of-life care

BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sept. 29, 2010) — Dr. Bill Dicks and Mark Papke-Larson will discuss Advance Medical Directives next week as part of Bemidji State University’s Adventures in Lifelong Learning lecture series.

The lecture, one of eight sponsored by the University’s Optivation venture, will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. at Optivation’s 3801 Bemidji Ave. N. facility. Adventures in Lifelong Learning lectures are free and open to the public.

Dicks, a pain management specialist at Sanford Clinic in Bemidji, and Papke-Larson, the chaplain at Bemidji’s North Country Health Services, will provide a look at the often difficult discussions surrounding the use of life-sustaining medical treatments.

Tools such as Advance Medical Directives, written by patients, and Do Not Rescuscitate orders, initiated by physicians, have proven to be useful, but inadequate to the task.

Dicks and Papke-Larson will lead a discussion on a new tool called a Provider’s Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment that, while not yet available in Bemidji, promises to help guide quality end-of-life care.

Adventures in Lifelong Learning was formerly known as the Academy of Lifelong Learning. The organization’s board of directors voted unanimously over the summer to transition the branding of the organization away from a formal classroom experience to reflect a less intimidating adult learning style.

Adventures in Lifelong Learning is organized exclusively to provide opportunities for continuing education in the Bemidji area. The program intends to help participants improve critical thinking skills and to appreciate the diversity of human experience through varied and lively discussions.

Fall 2010 Adventures in Lifelong Learning upcoming schedule:
Oct. 5: “Providers Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment: Filling a Gap in the End of Life Care for Patients and Health Care Professionals,” Dr. Bill Dicks, Sanford Clinic, and Mark Papke-Larson, chaplain, North Country Health Services.
Oct. 12: “Glacial Geology of North-Central Minnesota,” Bob Melchoir, professor emeritus of geology, Bemidji State University.
Oct. 14-15: Adventures in Lifelong Learning Fall Conference.
Oct. 19: “Nature Photography: An Excuse to Travel,” Cal Rice, owner, Rice Photography.
Oct. 26: “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Preserving Our Heritage,” Wanda Hoyum, executive director, Beltrami County Historical Society.
Nov. 2: “How Scary Are Dragons: China’s Reemergence as a World Power,” Robert Ley, professor of economics, Bemidji State University.
Nov. 9: “Coming Home: Veterans in History,” J. Thomas Murphy, professor of history, Bemidji State University.

For more information, contact Optivation at (218) 755-4900 or optivation@bemidjistate.edu.

About Optivation
Optivation is an off-campus venture operated jointly by Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College designed to increase collaboration between the University, the college, and the business and technology sectors of the northwest Minnesota region. Staffed by veteran business and entrepreneurial professionals, Optivation delivers targeted training and education systems to help organizations succeed in a changing world. Through its affiliations with the University and the technical college, Optivation is able to tap into an unparalleled network of people and technology across the state of Minnesota.

For more information, visit Optivation at http://www.optivation.org.