Maine residents will have an opportunity to learn about and improve end-of-life care when the Maine Hospice Council, in partnership with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, holds a series of public town hall meetings in seven communities across the state, beginning on Sept. 20.

The purpose of the meetings is to assess public perception of end-of-life care in Maine, including pain management, quality of care and respect for the wishes of patients and their families, according to Kandyce Powell, executive director of the Maine Hospice Council and Center for End-of-Life Care.

While many Maine health care professionals attended a 2004 conference on pain control and palliative care, Powell said, “The voice that drives social change is the consumer voice.”

There are 26 organizations that provide hospice care in Maine. Services vary from region to region, Powell said Tuesday, but typically include respite for family caregivers, spiritual support, social services and the management of pain, nausea, anxiety and other symptoms associated with terminal disease and the end of life. The services usually become available when a physician determines that an individual has six months or less to live – some insurance policies say one year – and when the patient agrees to pursue comfort and supportive care at home in place of aggressive treatment.

In addition, inpatient care is available at private hospice facilities in Auburn and Scarborough. Powell said these programs accept patients whose symptoms are especially difficult to manage, or whose family members are not able to care for them at home.

Maine ranks near the bottom of all states in the utilization of hospice services, she said, even though Medicare and private health insurance cover the expense. Medicaid coverage, called MaineCare here, also applies in some situations.

Maine’s aging population essentially guarantees a growing demand for hospice care in coming years, Powell said, and the time is right to start improving access to comprehensive, high-quality services.

Attorney General Steven Rowe is expected to attend all seven meetings. Rowe, an advocate for hospice care, said Tuesday that Mainers should know more about end-of-life issues, including the importance of signing an advance directive – also known as a “living will” – and of assigning legal power of attorney to a trusted family member or friend.

“Surveys show most people want to die at home, surrounded by loved ones and free of pain,” Rowe said. But in reality, he said, that scenario is seldom realized.

“We hope these meetings will help people make decisions so the reality of their end-of-life care lines up better with their wishes,” Rowe said.

Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also is expected to attend some of the meetings to discuss the public health implications of hospice care.

Meetings schedule

The town hall meetings are free and open to the public. They are scheduled as follows:

? Lewiston: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, in the Shipyard Lounge at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

? Machias: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, in the community room at Machias Savings Bank.

? Waterville: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, in the auditorium at Thomas College.

? Bangor: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at St. Joseph Healthcare Park, 900 Broadway.

? Presque Isle: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

? Damariscotta: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, in the boardroom of Miles Home Health and Hospice.

? Portland: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, in the Dana Center at Maine Medical Center.

Funding for the public meetings has been provided by the Hospice Education Institute. For information, please call the Maine Hospice Council at 626-0651 or visit www.mainehospicecouncil.org.