Queer Coalition, Illinois State University’s sponsored LGBTQIA+ faculty, staff, and graduate student affinity group, and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program will host a catered lunch and interactive workshop led by Carle BroMenn senior staff chaplain Charlotte Hoffmann on Wednesday, November 13 as part of their ongoing Queer Talks Lunch ‘n’ Learn series. This event will aim to empower LGBTQIA+ people of all ages to take control of their health care decisions.
Participants are invited to begin arriving at the Milner Library sixth-floor Southeast Learning Space at 11:30 a.m. and serve themselves lunch. The presentation and workshop portion of the event will begin at noon and conclude at 1 p.m. In-person attendance is capped at 40 people and registration is required by November 6; a Zoom option is also available.
Navigating the health care system can be complex for anyone, but for LGBTQIA+ individuals, there are often additional layers of complexity and uncertainty. Historically, queer people have faced discrimination in health care settings, including instances when their wishes or relationships were disregarded by medical personnel. Additionally, for many in the LGBTQIA+ community, traditional family structures may not reflect their closest or most trusted relationships. State laws, however, often prioritize biological family members in the absence of official documentation, which can lead to situations where a person’s medical care is decided by estranged or unsupportive relatives.
Advance care planning allows individuals to outline their health care preferences ahead of time in case they become incapacitated at some point in the future. One of the most important parts of this process is appointing a medical power of attorney—someone who can make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to speak for yourself. This workshop will prompt participants to reflect on who they trust to act in this capacity as well as explore misconceptions about advance care planning and provide information specific to LGBTQIA+ community members about how to use it as a tool to support and honor all of who they are. Participants will also have the opportunity to complete their own Power of Attorney for Health Care form if they wish to do so.
About the speaker: Charlotte Hoffmann (she/her) serves as senior staff chaplain at Carle BroMenn Medical Center. She has clinical oversight for spiritual care in the areas of the emergency department, behavioral health, and obstetrics. She also serves as lead for Carle Health’s LGBTQ+ Community Advisory Group.
If you need an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please specify on the registration form or email lgbtq@IllinoisState.edu. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.
