Since its launch in April 2016, CIAC has been bringing education and training workshops to northern Virginia in line with its mission to improve advanced illness care. Below is a list of our activities during our first year 2016-2017. Since 2016, CIAC has served over 500 people and community groups. To learn more about how CIAC can help, see What We Do.


Being Mortal Film Showing

September 18, 2017
by Kathleen Garces-Foley, Anne-Marie O'Brien, Cynda Tipple, held at Marymount University
CIAC partnered up with Marymount University to offer a free film screening and discussion of the PBS documentary, Being Mortal, based on the best-selling book by Dr. Atul Gawande. The event was well-received with about 90 attendees.

Be a Champion for Advance Care Planning

May 17, 2017
by CIAC at the Arlington Public Library
CIAC offered a free training opportunity for human service professionals and others to build their skills and confidence in helping older adults with advance care planning. Participants learned how to promote open communication about end of life wishes and how to document wishes in an Advance Directive.

Being Mortal Film Showing

April 17 and May 4, 2017
by Cindi Carney, held at Goodwin House Bailey's Crossroads and Goodwin House Alexandria
CIAC partnered up with Goodwin House to offer a free film screening and discussion of the PBS documentary, Being Mortal, based on the best-selling book by Dr. Atul Gawande. The event was well-received by about 200 attendees in total on the two screening dates. CIAC is preparing to have another film screening and discussion in the near future.

"Mom, Dad... We Need To Talk"

February 4, 2017
by Marcia Taylor and Kathleen Garces-Foley, held at at St. John's Baptist Church
Representatives from member churches of the Interchurch Community Health Initiative (ICHI) attended a workshop on how to facilitate end of life conversations and how to instruct seniors and caregivers in completing advance directives.

Bible Study and Sermon for Conversation Sabbath Week

November 9, 2016
by Carolyn Richar, held at Bethel United Church of Christ
Rev. Carolyn Richar led a bible study at Bethel on November 9th and preached on the subject of preparing for death on November 13 as part of the nation-wide Conversation Sabbath week. Bethel and Rev. Richar were featured in the local news.

Faith Community Leader Workshop

September 28, 2016
by Carolyn Richar,  held at Cherrydale Baptist Church
In anticipation of the November Conversation Sabbath, several Arlington faith leaders gathered to learn about spiritually grounded ways to encourage congregants to think about and discuss their end-of-life and advanced illness care wishes.

Introducing CIAC Series

September 13, 2016
by Cindi Carney, held at Culpeper Gardens
CIAC was invited to talk to 10 people from the Assisted Living Residents and Community Council about the Coalition's mission and activities.t end-of-life care.

July 15, 2016
by Carolyn Richar, held at the Department of Human Services
The Arlington County Steering Committee for Older Adult Services asked CIAC to share to the 12 attendees the coalition's mission and activities and to talk about end-of-life and advanced care planning.

Conversation Workshop for the Office of Senior Adult Programs

June 27, 2016
by Kathleen Garces-Foley, held at Lubber Run Community Center
Similar to the Arlington Conversation Workshop held last April 9th, CIAC held a Conversation Workshop for the Office of Senior Adult Programs, attended by nine people from the OSAP and representatives from various senior centers.

Conversation Champion Training

June 17, 2016
by Kathleen Garces-Foley, held at Langston-Brown Senior Center
Holding the Conversation Workshop is one of CIAC's way to spread awareness of end-of-life and advanced illness care. To gather more people involved in this movement, CIAC conducted a training on how to plan and conduct a Conversation Workshop. This training produced six champions ready to conduct the workshop to their own groups of smaller communities.

Open Forum on Improving Advanced Illness Care in Arlington County

May 5, 2016
by Kathleen Garces-Foley, held at Marymount University
In order to achieve the goals set by CIAC, the participation of the community in Arlington county is needed. This brainstorming activity was opened to any and all members of the community, and eight people participated. The needs for improving advanced illness care was identified and ideas about the topic were gathered.

Launch Day: Arlington Conversation Workshop

April 9, 2016
by Kathleen Garces-Foley and Anne Vor der Bruegge, held at Marymount University
At its launch event, the Coalition to Improve Advanced Care gathered a wide audience from religious congregations, health care providers, and community leaders to learn about CIAC and the importance of communicating end-of-life wishes.

CIAC is supported by the following organizations:

Marymount University * Virginia Hospital Center * Capital Caring * Goodwin House
Arlington Area Agency on Aging * Arlington Commission on Aging