Advance care planning (ACP) involves talking about and documenting a person’s values, preferences, and decisions about future care including end of life. It helps ensure an individual’s choices are known if they are unable to communicate. You can introduce and encourage these discussions at different points along the older person’s care journey.
What I can do
ACP helps people plan ahead. Consider raising it:
- If they have a serious illness, early dementia, or signs of decline
- After a hospital stay, new diagnosis, or moving into residential aged care
- If they express concerns about the future or recall difficult past experiences with death and dying.
Creating the right environment for these discussions is important. To help people feel at ease:
- Choose a quiet, private space and allow enough time
- Provide hearing aids, communication aids, or an interpreter if needed
- Involve a trusted friend or family member if they wish.
Clear documentation helps ensure wishes are respected. You can support this by:
- Helping the person clearly state their preferences
- Encouraging them to share their plan with family and healthcare providers
- Storing ACP documents in an accessible place such as My Health Record.