2018 Annual Symposium: Abundant Aging Through the End of Life

Dr. Byock will present Surprising Opportunities for Well-Being Through the End of Life and What Mortality Has to Teach Us About Living during the Symposium, set for 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12 at Marriott Columbus University Area, 3100 Olentangy River Road, Columbus.

Dr. Byock is a fellow with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is founder and chief medical officer for the Institute for Human Caring of Providence St. Joseph Health, a 50-hospital health system serving communities in seven states. Dr. Byock advances efforts to measure, monitor and improve whole-person healthcare systemwide, according to his website. He is a practicing physician based in Torrance, California.

“We are thrilled to bring the expertise of Dr. Ira Byock to Ohio for this one-day conference,” said Rev. Beth Long-Higgins, executive director of the Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging. “This is a unique opportunity for senior living administrators, social workers, chaplains and other professionals to hear one of the nation’s leading physicians on end-of-life care.”

An afternoon panel consisting of four faith leaders from different traditions will share the role of faith for end-of-life decisions. Panelists include David T. Ball, JD, PhD; Rabbi Wendy Ungar, MaHL, BCC, ACP; Lama Kathy Wesley; and Asma Mobin-Uddin, MD, FAAP.

“Since one’s faith journey and spiritual practices connect us to what is personally most important, it is invaluable to understand the connections between end-of-life decisions and our systems of belief,” Beth said. “We are excited to provide space for an interfaith discussion on palliative care.”

Wendy Ungar

Rabbi Ungar is serving the community as a conservative rabbi. She earned a Bachelor of Arts at Brandeis University, master’s degrees in Hebrew letters and Jewish education and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. After working many years in education, Rabbi Ungar completed a clinical residency with OhioHealth and is now a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains. Rabbi Ungar is working as an advanced chaplain practitioner with the palliative team at Riverside Methodist Hospital.

David T. Ball

Drawing upon his experience as a local church pastor and as chaplain at Denison University, David T. Ball has been advising and representing churches about their legal needs since 1991. He is a partner in the firm of Rosenberg & Ball Co. LPA, which offers a wide range of legal services to churches, nonprofits, individuals and businesses. David earned a Bachelor of Arts at Ohio Wesleyan University, a Master of Divinity at Boston University School of Theology, a Juris Doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate in systematic theology at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. In recognition of his service as counsel and advocate to churches and church-affiliated organizations, David was named the 2010 American Bar Association Outstanding Young Nonprofit Attorney. David regularly teaches as an adjunct professor at Methodist Theological School in Ohio and the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.

Lama Kathy Wesley

Kathy Wesley (Lama Gyurme Chötsö) has been a student of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1977. She participated in the first three-year retreat led by Khenpo Rinpoche at Karmé Ling Retreat Center in upstate New York and thus earned the title of retreat lama. Lama Kathy now serves as resident teacher at the Columbus Karma Thegsum Chöling and travels to teach at other Buddhist centers throughout the country. Kathy is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She and her husband, Mike, live in central Ohio.

Asma Mobin-Uddin

Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin is a pediatrician and clinical bioethicist. Much of her work at The Ohio State University Center for Bioethics involves doing ethics consults as part of the Clinical Bioethics Consultation Service at OSU’s Wexner Medical Center. She is involved in developing ethics education projects for OSU and OhioHealth. She is also a pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Mobin-Uddin is a board member of the Bioethics Network of Ohio. She also serves on the Joint Ethics Advisory Committee for OhioHealth and is a member of the committee’s Clinical Ethics Competency Task Force.

As a children’s author and columnist, Dr. Mobin-Uddin frequently educates the community about issues related to Islam and Muslims. Her three award-winning picture books deal with the Muslim–American experience. Her op-ed columns have been published in newspapers across the United States and internationally, and she has been a guest on television news programs, including on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. Dr. Mobin-Uddin has been active in interfaith dialogue and efforts to further understanding, peace and justice in the greater community.

Sponsors of the Symposium as of July 1 include Gordon Foods, Plante Moran, Merrill Lynch, Thomas & Marker, L.R. Webber Associates, Paul & Katie Grassman CE Plan Inc. and MMS Advancement.