Who Needs a POLST?
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
sponsored by the Concord Quarter Working Group on Aging Concerns
click here to sign up for the Zoom presentation
This program is designed to be helpful to all age groups.
Polst, DNR, D-MOST; these are documents that tell a medical provider or support person what your wishes are when you experience a life threatening event and you are unconscious. DMOST (Delaware Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment) and POLST (Pennsylvania Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) are documents which must be signed by a physician, generally involving a person with terminal illness. A DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) instructs EMTs and medical personnel not to perform CPR if a patient's breathing or heartbeat stops.
Dr. Maria D'Souza will help us understand the complex details of these documents and the experience they relate to. She is a geriatrician with expertise in dementia care and caregiver support. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine and completed her residency training in internal medicine at the University of Washington, 3-year geriatrics fellowship at Duke University, and a Master of Public Health degree at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. She leads the COMPASS Dementia Care program in Wilmington.
Erica Blanco Sacci is an experienced Registered Nurse with over a decade of clinical expertise in emergency care, critical transport, and nursing education. Currently serving as a Flight/ground Transport RN with PennStar Flight Team, Erica plays a key role in managing critically ill patients. Erica has held staff nursing roles at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Riddle Hospital.
Thomas Vogelgesang is an NREMT-P Flight Paramedic with over 15 years of experience in emergency medical services and critical care transport. Currently serving with PennSTAR Flight at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He provides advanced inter-facility air and ground transport for critically ill patients throughout the Tri-State area. His background includes critical care roles with ChristianaCare and Temple Transport Team.
For more info email concordquarter@pym.org
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