Advanced care planning a voluntary process of person-centred discussion, between an individual and their care providers about their preferences and priorities for their future care.
These are likely to involve a number of conversations over time and with whoever the person wishes to involve.
Advance care planning is about a person doing what they can do, to ensure that health care treatment they may receive, is consistent with their wishes and preferences, should you be unable to make your own decisions or speak for yourself.
Advance care planning usually consists of 4 components:
Preferences around the types of care or treatment they receive.
Preferences in the place/location where they will be cared for.
Preferences on who they will appoint to be their decision maker for health and financial decisions.
Official documentation where an individual can detail legally binding advance decisions to refuse certain medical treatments.
What are the benefits of advance care planning?
Advance care planning can have several benefits:
- It allows the person to have choice and control over what happens to them.
- It reduces the chance that someone receives care or treatment they do not want.
- It can make it more likely that someone’s wishes are known and followed. For example, they may be more likely to die in their preferred place of death.
- It can lessen the burden on people close to the person, who may otherwise need to be involved in decision making without knowing what the person wanted.
- It can allow the person to think about who’s important to them and who they’d like to help them make decisions.
- As a care giver its good to gradually introduce these types of conversations and support your cared for person in making these types of plans. This will also help you ensure are confident their wishes are being respected when it matters most.