Advanced Care Planning
It doesn’t have to be a last minute panic. Planning can be done at any point from perfectly healthy to anywhere before end of life. Ideally plans should be in place before you need them, A lot of people assume that their support circle “know what I want'“, but when in a crisis situation, having written plans makes decisions clear and reduces the possibility of your support circle being plagued by differing opinions, unclear consensus, and doubts that can plague your decision maker for a long time after.
Services in Advanced Care Planning can include:
Advance Directive - Important note: In Ontario, there is no legislation specifically about Advance Directives so there is no legal definition of it. Instead, the language used by the Ontario Health Care Consent Act, 1996 is “wishes” with respect to treatment. As long as you are capable, you can express your wishes (or change them) in an Advance Directive or a Power of Attorney for Personal Care, in writing, orally, or in any other way. This puts your wishes clearly in writing so that your Substitute Decision Maker can know and act upon what you’d like if you are not able to yourself.
Power of Attorneys - These documents outline who is to make decisions for you for property and personal care. If you do not have decision makers designated, usually though a POA, a Substitute Decision Maker hierarchy will be used to designate one, which could result in someone you do not want in that position. Discussions will be facilitated and the duties and responsibilities clarified to make sure all parties know exactly what is expected.
Care Plans - This is a way for you to reflect on and express wishes, values and beliefs, what’s important to you, and what you value about life and health. Discussion will include your what you want done and not done, what you consider your minimum quality of life, and your wishes for continuing and discontinuing treatment.
Transition Plans - Throughout the end of life journey, there are a lot of intersections and transitions from one care team to another. These plans can detail wishes and logistical details for transitions to palliative care, hospice, medical assistance in dying, or dying at home. They can include things like who are authorized visitors, what comfort items you want with you in your space, who is to care for property and pets if the transition removes you from your home. There are a myriad of decisions to be made and I will help you make and organize those decisions so you can concentrate on being present at each transition.
Discussion Facilitation - Sometimes the hardest part of the process is finding a way to open the discussions that you know need to happen with your support circle. I can help you prepare for and facilitate them as an objective party, sometimes it’s easier to have someone removed from the situation guide the discussion so everyone else can be present without worrying about keeping things on track.
These services are starting points in what can be done. You are in control of what you want and my job is to help that happen. If you have other planning you’d like done, we’ll discover that during our discussions, or you can bring it to me at any point and we will get it done.
You are in charge of your experience.